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Women are fleeing from the digital sector, reckons UK.gov report
Could it be all the dick-swinging bearded hipsters?
Fewer women are working in the digital sector than a decade ago, according to a report by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills quango.
Currently just one quarter of employees are women in digital businesses such as software development, visual effects and computer games - down from one-third in 2002 - according to the report.
The report reckons two million people are employed in digital and creative industries, with the sector worth £137bn to the UK annually.
It claimed a further 1.2m people will be needed to fill jobs in the sector by 2022.
Karen Price, director of networking org the Tech Partnership, described the findings as "very disappointing".
Minister for Fun and the digital economy Ed Vaizey said it was crucial to "nurture talent" in the sector.
He said: "Initiatives like TechFuture Girls that encourage young women to consider a career in this dynamic sector will play an important role in addressing this issue.”
In May, giant ad-flinger Google admitted that just 17 per cent of its workforce is female.
As such the Chocolate Factory has said it will assign $150m - some 0.002 of its annual revenues of $66bn - to tackle the problem. ®
Biting the hand that feeds IT
