The Home Office and Ministry of justice are part of a government pilot to get women back into the tech sector through senior software development roles after having spent time away from the industry.
Described as a returnship scheme, it forms part of a package of initiatives announced by the government which also includes plans for hundreds of tech placements for women across the country as well as a UK-wide tech competition for girls.
The returnship scheme will be piloted at the government departments, which will offer senior software developer roles to women who have been away from work for 18 months or more. This includes women who took time out of work to raise children.
“This will help bust the ‘CV gap’ barrier many returners face when trying to get back to work – a reality for many women who have put their career on hold for their families,” said the government.
At the same time, the government is supporting 300 paid tech work placements across the country for women, supported by a £4m TechFirst Women’s Programme. The programme will see participants receive coaching and interview preparation support as well as work with businesses.
Early starters
The government also wants to stir interest in tech among the younger generation, with a TechFirst Girls Competition aimed at thousands of girls across the country.
The competition, which will be launched later this year, aims to encourage girls to consider a future in tech. Thousands of 12 and 13-year-old girls will use technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and coding to think creatively and problem solve to compete in challenges and win.
Meanwhile, the Women in Tech Taskforce launched in December has announced a call for evidence to examine how women can be better supported around emerging technologies and AI, along with investigating the inherent biases built into these technologies, which disproportionately affect women.
Liz Kendall, secretary of state for science, innovation and technology, said: “If we don’t address these unfair biases and barriers now, we’ll still be having this conversation in 10 years’ time.
“We’re acting through a skills and jobs package to get more women into tech quickly. These aren’t warm words – they’re real jobs, real placements and real routes back in through a door that has been too hard to open, for too long.
“But we’re not just fixing today’s problem. Through the Women in Tech Taskforce, I want to make sure women aren’t just entering this sector – they’re shaping it. Co-creating the technologies, the culture and the future of an industry that for too long has been built without them.”
Anna Brailsford, CEO at Code First Girls and a Women in Tech Taskforce member, said: “The UK’s ambition to lead in technology will only be realised if more women can see a clear and supported pathway into the sector from non-tech backgrounds.
“Today marks a significant milestone that proves what’s possible when barriers to entry are removed. Many women who have moved into tech started their journeys unsure if they belonged in the industry, and are now thriving in high-impact, high-growth roles.”
