It’s been announced that, following the GCSE results, girls are closing the gender gap in science and tech with girls particularly performing better in maths and physics than in previous years. Here, Karen Thomson, diversity and inclusion lead at Fujitsu UK and Ireland, talks about how as we progress towards a ‘digital first’ nation we need to ensure we are investing in both girls and boys ensuring they develop the right skills to support the future digital economy.
Thomson said: “With the skills gap costing UK businesses £4.4bn a year, it’s incredibly positive to see that more girls are exceeding in STEM GCSE topics. These encouraging results demonstrate the actions taken are having a positive impact on creating more balance.
“Whilst, of course, encouraging, we shouldn’t get complacent. There is still much work to be done to ensure that this momentum continues at A-level and all the way through university and into the workplace.
“From policymakers to public and private organisations, and even parents, it’s important that we join forces to encourage more girls to get involved in STEM, helping them to understand the positive impact this knowledge can have on their lives and future careers. Studying computer science can lead to a multitude of careers from cyber security and machine learning, to design and marketing to name a few.
“As we fast progress towards a ‘digital first’ nation we need to ensure we are investing in both girls and boys at the very beginning of the digital journey and developing the right skills to support the future digital economy.
After all, with 70% of women aged 16-to-64 in the workplace, if we fail to foster a whole group of talent in a sector – which is becoming so vital to both our professional and personal lives – it will prevent the UK from sustaining a competitive edge to ensure we are supporting a more prosperous future.”
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