From: / Feargal McGuinness / Ref: / 2013/4/202-EP
Date: / 22 April 2013
Women and careers in ICT
Employment
Feargal McGuinness, Economic Policy and Statistics, x4904
You asked how the number of women working in ICT has changed over recent decades. ONS data on number of jobs by industry sector does not specifically define an ICT sector, but figures are provided on jobs in Computer programming, consultancy and related services. These are shown in Chart 1.[1]
Out of 707,000 jobs in the sector in December 2012, 181,000 were held by women (26%) and 526,000 by men (74%). By comparison, in March 1996, there were 65,000 jobs in the sector held by women (23%) and 219,000 (77%) by men.
Female employment in Computer programming, consultancy and related services increased in the late 1990s as the total number of jobs in the sector expanded, but then dipped after 2001. The number of jobs currently held by women is about the same as it was at the end of 2002. Male employment in the sector, however, has continued to increase since the 1990s. Chart 2 shows how the proportion of jobs held by women has changed since 1996.
Figures are available prior to 1996 for employee jobs only. The data presented in the charts include both employee jobs and self-employment. Between March 1986 and March 1996, the sector experienced gradual growth: the number of employee jobs in the sector increased from 168,000 to 244,000, and the number held by women from 47,000 to 57,000.
Please note that Computer programming, consultancy and related services does not include various other jobs that might be considered part of the ICT sector – for example, jobs in software publishing or the manufacture and repair of computers.[2]
Women studying computing/ICT[3]
Paul Bolton, Social and General Statistics, x6969
At GCSE level almost 18,000 girls took Information Technology in England in 2012; 5.9% of girls at the end of Key Stage 4 compared to 6.78% of boys. More detailed data for England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined show that in 2011 33 boys and 22 girls took computing GCSE.
At A level 3,100 young women aged 16-18 took ICT in England in 2012 compared to 5,200 boys. These figures represent 0.7% and 1.4% of all A level exam entries for young women and men respectively. Again more detailed data are available for England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined in summer 2011 when 3,700 males and 300 females entered computing A level.
Routinely published higher education data does not break student numbers down by subject and domicile and gender. In 2011/12 there were 17,000 women and 78,700 men studying computer science at all levels in UK HE establishments. This includes overseas students. In 2012 2,400 home female students were accepted onto full-time undergraduate computer science courses (1.1% of all females accepted) and 15,100 men (8.3%)
International comparisons
The OECD records comprehensive information on the field of education for higher education students. This is not done for earlier age groups where students in most countries follow a broad curriculum. The exception is vocational upper secondary courses and no figures are available on such students in the UK. The attached spreadsheet gives the latest OECD data. In 2010 the proportion of new female entrants to HE who were studying computing was 1.3%, below the OECD average, but the same as the overall EU rate. The proportion of male entrants studying computing in the UK was very slightly above the OECD average at 7.8%.
Proposals/initiatives to increase number of young women going into ICT
Tim Jarrett, Social Policy Section, x5853
In a February 2011 report, NESTA published a report entitled Next Gen. – Transforming the UK into the world’s leading talent hub for the video games and visual effects industries. The report noted that “in July 2010, Ed Vaizey, the Minister for Culture, Communications and the Creative Industries asked us to undertake a Review of the skills needs of the UK’s video games and visual effects industries and to make practical recommendations for how these needs can be met”.[4] One of the recommendations of the report was to “use video games and visual effects to draw in greater numbers of young people to computer science and STEM [the sciences, technology, engineering and maths subjects]”, and the report’s authors noted that:
Building a robust infrastructure for the provision of computer science at schools does not guarantee that young people will demand it. The continued decline in young people taking computer science at A-level has already been mentioned. It may take some time to redress prejudices against this subject, which some perceive to be dry and ‘geeky’.
The content and delivery methods of computer science teaching will need to change to address these misperceptions (especially in the eyes of girls). This is where evidence suggests that technologies like video games can play a significant new role.[5]
A report by The Royal Society published in January 2012, entitled Shut down or restart? – The way forward for computing in UK schools considered gender issues:
A gender imbalance in the study of Computer Science is both perceived and real. In 2011, for instance, across the UK only 302 girls took Computing A-level (7.5% of the total entry), compared to 3,700 boys (92.5% of the total entry).
Exploration of A-level entry trends (see table 2.1) shows that the percentage of female entries to Computing A-level has continued to fall and has consistently been much lower than the percentage of female entries to ICT A-level. The latter actually rose during 2001–2011 and has consistently been similar to the percentage of female entries to mathematics A-level.
The low level of female entry to Computing A-level is even more severe than that observed in physics, where girls traditionally account for around 20% of all A-level entries. Similarly, while more boys take A-level mathematics and chemistry, the distribution of entries by gender in both these subjects is more even.[6]
Table 2.1 of the report is reproduced below:
In December 2011, Ofsted published a report entitled ICT in schools 2008-11 which provided “an evaluation of information and communication technology education in schools in England 2008–11”. In terms of the gender balance, the report found that “nationally, the numbers of students entering for GCSE and A level in ICT subjects has continued to fall since 2007. The number of students entering for vocational awards in ICT subjects has increased considerably over the same period. Despite better performance in examinations than boys, fewer girls chose to continue to study ICT in Key Stage 4 and beyond”.[7]
On achievement, the report noted that:
Girls have continued to outperform boys by nine percentage points at GCSE level, four percentage points at AS level and six percentage points at A level in 2011. However the number of girls entered continued to lag behind boys and the percentage of girls entering for AS and A level has remained static at around 35% of the cohort. This is disappointing given the efforts made through national initiatives such as Computer Clubs for Girls which have sought to increase the number of girls opting for ICT and computing subjects, and eventual careers in the ICT sector.[8]
One of the key findings of the report was that:
Very few examples were seen of secondary schools engaging with local IT businesses to bring the subject alive for their students. This was a particular issue for girls, many of whom need a fuller understanding of ICT-related career and education options to inform their subject choices at 14 and 16 years of age.[9]
One of the report’s four recommendations for secondary schools was that they should “ensure that girls are encouraged to continue studying ICT beyond the ages of 14 and 16”.[10]
Following the report, which was also critical of ICT teaching more broadly, the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, made a written ministerial statement which addressed ICT more generally. He noted that there was “a significant and growing base of evidence, not least from Ofsted inspections, that demonstrates that there are persistent problems with the quality and effectiveness of ICT education in schools”, adding:
Evidence indicates that recent curriculum and qualifications reforms have not led to significant improvements in the teaching of ICT, and the number of students progressing to further study in ICT-related subjects is in decline. Furthermore, the ICT curriculum in its current form is viewed as dull and demotivating for pupils. Its teaching may not equip pupils adequately for further study and work, may leave them disenchanted or give rise to negative perceptions that turn them off the subject completely. At the same time we know that the demand for high-level technology skills is growing, and many employers in the IT industry are concerned that the way in which ICT is taught in schools is failing to inspire young people about the creative potential of ICT and the range of IT-related careers open to them.
However, we also know that ICT teaching in schools can be done well. There are numerous positive examples of schools that are leading the way in developing new and exciting visions for ICT, and of industry-led initiatives which are invigorating ICT teaching in schools.
Mr Gove therefore proposed that the existing ICT programmes of study and attainment targets at all four key stages should be “disapplied”, explaining: “Under this proposal ICT would remain a compulsory subject within the national curriculum, subject to the outcomes of the national curriculum review. However, schools would be freed of the requirement to adhere to the existing programmes of study, attainment targets and statutory assessment arrangements”. This, he added, would mean that “schools will be able to offer a more creative and challenging curriculum, drawing on support and advice from those best positioned to judge what an ambitious and forward-looking curriculum should contain”.[11]
The Department for Education (DfE) subsequently reported that “following a full public consultation, the Secretary of State confirmed on 11 June 2012 that he would disapply the Programmes of Study, associated Attainment Targets and statutory assessment arrangements for ICT from September 2012”.[12]
In addition, on 30 January 2013, Mr Gove announced that Computer Science would be included in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), with the DfE stating that “the change is being made because of the importance of computer science for both education and the economy”.[13] It should be noted that this proposal is separate from the proposed replacement of some GCSEs with English Baccalaureate Certificates (EBCs) – which has since been dropped; rather, while not being a new examination, the EBaccrecognises the achievement of pupils who have gained GCSE or iGCSE passes, graded A*-C, in certain subjects.[14]
1
[1] Source: ONS, Labour Market Statistics, March 2013, Tables JOBS03 and JOBS04.
Note data are for the number of jobs, not the number of people employed (some people may hold more than one job in the sector).
[2] Data published by ONS include number of jobs in Manufacture of computer, electronic & optical products and Repair of computers and personal and household goods. I can provide this if it is of interest.
[3] Sources:
DfE, GCSE and Equivalent Results in England, 2011/12 (Revised)
DfE, A level and Equivalent Examination Results in England, 2011/12 (Revised)
JCQ, Inter-awarding body statistics winter 2010/11 and summer 2011
HESA, Students in higher education institutions 2011/12
UCAS, Annual datasets
[4]NESTA, Next Gen. – Transforming the UK into the world’s leading talent hub for the video games and visual effects industries, February 2011, Foreword
[5]As above, p40
[6]The Royal Society, Shut down or restart? – The way forward for computing in UK schools, January 2012, section 2.8, p23
[7]Ofsted, ICT in schools 2008-11, December 2011, p5
[8]As above, pp20–21, para 45
[9]As above, p6
[10]As above, p8
[11]HC Deb 11 January 2012 c15WS
[12]Department for Education, National Curriculum Review update - June 2012, website, 27 February 2013 [taken on 22 April 2013]
[13]Department for Education, Computer science to be included in the EBacc, website, 1 February 2013, [taken on 22 April 2013]
[14]For more information on the EBacc, see the Library Standard Note, English Baccalaureate (SN/SP/6045); please note that the Note has not been updated to take account of the DfE’s announcement on Computer Science.