Government tackles IT gender gap

The government is ramping up its effort to increase the number of women in IT by setting up a national centre to promote opportunities.

Funding has been provided to establish a national Resource Centre for Women in Science Engineering and Technology.

The facility opens this month in Bradford, as part of the government's strategy to increase the number of women working in industries such as IT.

The centre will be run by the Jive Consortium, which includes representatives from Bradford College, Sheffield Hallam University and Cambridge University.

Alongside the centre, the group will launch a website this month containing good practice guides for employers and information for women looking to return to work.

British firms are missing out on a large pool of talent, with girls massively under-represented within IT, according to Pat Turrell, co-ordinator for the Jive Consortium.

"Currently we see far too many barriers that put girls off these sort of careers," she explained.

"These range from cultural ones within firms, to the lack of role models for girls. We're working with a number of groups to break these barriers down."

The regional centre will offer short IT courses and contain state-of-the-art IT facilities.

The government's aim is to increase the number of women working in IT at all levels. It is starting from a relatively low base: according to the Office of National Statistics, women account for only 23 per cent of the IT workforce.

"We need to give IT an image makeover to make it more attractive to women," said Patricia Hewett, Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry and Minister for Women, in a statement.

The national resource centre is intended to complement work going on elsewhere. IT skills body, e-skills UK has been pioneering Computer Clubs for Girls in 128 schools in the South East.

The initiative is meant to challenge negative stereotypes among girls about careers in IT. E-skills UK is aiming to rollout out the programme nationwide this year.