Minister calls for more women in IT

Baroness Margaret Jay, the Minister for Women, has warned that the success of the UK economy could depend on more women being recruited into the IT industry.

Speaking at a Women in IT seminar organised by the government's Women's Unit, Jay warned that for as long as women remained under represented in IT, the industry was missing out on enormous potential.

"It's partly an image problem," Jay told Computing. "There will be 1.7 million more IT jobs in Europe by 2003. Unless more women are recruited into the industry, the whole economy could be affected."

She added that the issue wasn't simply one of recruitment, and stressed the need for companies to focus on retention and promotion of female staff.

Key issues addressed at the seminar included work/life balance issues and the advancement of women to key positions in the IT industry. "This is not about giving women a helping hand or special treatment. Ensuring that women play a full role will strengthen the industry and the economy," Jay said.

Figures from the government's March 2000 Labour Force Survey show that the proportion of women working in the IT industry has actually declined in recent years.

Women now represent less than a quarter of the IT workforce, down from 29 per cent in 1994. Researcher IDC forecasts that by 2003 the UK IT sector will have 330,000 vacancies.

Jay also highlighted a 19 per cent pay gap between men and women, although she denied that legislation was the way to guarantee equal remuneration for the sexes. "It's up to employers to make sure they don't offer differential rates of pay," she said.