Why Women at Mid-career?

The Taskforce will focus on women (including people who identify as a woman or non-binary) with over five years of non-technical workforce experience that already have transferable skills which will enable them pivot to new roles.

There are some excellent existing initiatives and organisations focused on entry level talent and encouraging girls under age 18 to study STEM, but there are few existing programmes that focus specifically on women at the mid-career level despite the benefits these women provide to the workforce.

Women with workforce experience bring a wealth of in-demand transferable skills that employees from more-traditional routes may lack, including skills like empathy and communication.

Providing women with the opportunity to upskill and reskill internally into digital roles can lead to higher retention, greater employee satisfaction, and company loyalty.  Moreover, hiring women from other sectors can bring fresh perspectives and diverse experiences, enriching the workplace culture and driving innovation.

While many organisations focus on attracting women into entry-level positions, it’s important to address the statistic that only 14% of women in tech roles are at mid-career level, according to a Deloitte 2023 Report. This gap highlights the need for targeted initiatives to support their advancement and ensure that they are represented at all levels of the industry.

Gaining new skills and preparing for new roles can also counter the impact of job losses due to AI advancements and automation, which has a disproportionate effect on women. A more diverse workforce in product development and design processes can lead to more inclusive products which can generate new customers.

Addressing these issues requires concerted efforts from organisations to ensure women are not only included but are given the opportunities to lead in the digital future.