As a woman with a stimulating and rewarding career in IT, I want to be able to prove to young women that this industry isn't one dominated by men, but provides endless opportunities for people of either gender. But, according to e-skills UK, fewer than one in seven applicants for IT courses is female, and men outnumber women in the sector four to one - a statistic that demonstrates the need for change.
Furthermore, the UK IT and internet sectors are ever-more crucial to the economy. The strong position we have could be at risk if the next generation does not have the desire or the right skills.
Our research found that, for nearly two-thirds of female students, ICT education had no influence on young people's ICT career aspirations; yet 78% of girls said they were interested in working for technology companies. However, less than one-third of girls expressed a general interest in an IT career compared with boys. It seems, therefore, that girls aspire to careers at some technology companies, but not in the industry in general.
A core misconception about ICT education is that it's required for a job in the IT industry. For some roles, a professional IT qualification is essential, but not for others. I didn't have an ICT education and yet have never struggled to find other ways to acquire the skills I need for the role.
Cultural stereotypes and the media have fuelled a core misconception. The first is that all careers in the IT sector are very technical - we found that half of the students believe this to be the case.
Yet I'm proof that this is not always true. If you start on the graduate path at an IT company, you could as easily end up leading the marketing, commercial or HR functions. The variety of careers in the IT sector should be a major selling point.
Another misconception is that the IT industry is a place where women can't flourish - 40% of girls felt that a career in an IT company would be male-dominated. I believe a lot here comes down to the culture of an organisation rather than being a reflection of the way the sector operates. To help this I'd encourage those in the industry to work with local schools and run workshops to show students that there are great opportunities for women to flourish in IT, and take a more active role in promoting the achievements of young women in their businesses.
It is paramount that IT businesses do more to dispel the misconceptions about what a career in IT, or in IT businesses, looks like. It should be a key ambition for those working in the sector, especially female executives, to foster the next generation of IT talent and ensure girls are part of this.
To prevent girls ruling themselves out of working in IT before they've finished school or university, we need to help inspire young women at school. By supporting worthy initiatives like e-Skills' "Computer Clubs for Girls", we can play a part helping girls develop their skills in IT and igniting interest. Apprentice schemes are a good starting point.
We need to work together to foster the next generation of IT talent, and expand the pool to all those with potential, not just the men. Only then will the IT industry attract the brightest minds and stand a chance of making Britain a global tech leader.
Lesley Cowley is CEO at Nominet, the .uk domain name registry
