Women and non-binary people account for 29% of employees in the UK technology sector but hold only 21% of its senior roles, according to government figures being highlighted on Ada Lovelace Day, 13 October. The disparity persists as technology companies seek to build larger teams with the skills to develop and manage artificial intelligence.
The figures appear in evidence published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology as part of the work of the Women in Tech Taskforce. They were not newly collected for Ada Lovelace Day. Their publication predates the annual commemoration, which has brought renewed attention to barriers in technology careers.
The taskforce, established in December 2025, is examining career opportunities, advancement and entrepreneurship across technology. Its evidence also identifies inequalities involving socioeconomic background, disability, age and ethnicity. The seniority gap for women and non-binary workers is therefore one part of a broader question about how talent is recruited and rewarded in the sector.
Expanding graduate recruitment will not, on its own, produce more representative leadership. Promotion routes, access to high-profile projects and the ability to retain experienced staff determine whether a broader entry-level workforce progresses into senior positions. Those positions, in turn, influence product investment, hiring decisions, technical priorities and the way new technologies are developed and deployed.
Sheila Flavell, CBE, chief operating officer of FDM Group, said: “Ada Lovelace Day is an opportunity to reflect on the vital contributions women have made in technology. It’s also a reminder that there are still barriers that exist in the workplace and that’s exactly why we must create inclusive environments where talent can thrive, regardless of gender.”
She added: “Technology is changing the future of work, and if women aren’t properly represented in how it’s built and used, we risk hardwiring today’s inequalities into tomorrow’s systems. This isn’t just about diversity… it’s a business and economic priority.”
Pressure to retain experienced workers is especially relevant as organisations expand artificial intelligence programmes. Teams increasingly need a combination of engineering expertise, commercial knowledge, governance, data management and practical change management. Replacing experienced specialists can create costs and delay projects, even where employers continue to recruit at junior levels.
The 2025 Lovelace Report, produced by WeAreTechWomen and Oliver Wyman, estimated a shortage of 98,000 to 120,000 professionals across areas including AI, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure. It also estimated an annual economic cost of £2bn to £3.5bn associated with women leaving or moving between technology roles. Those are estimates from a separate research exercise, not additional figures from the government’s taskforce; the two sources use different definitions and methodologies.
Respondents to the Lovelace Report cited restricted opportunities for advancement, inadequate recognition and pay among the reasons they considered leaving. The loss of experienced professionals can persist even while firms expand their training programmes, leaving vacancies at the career stages where new recruits cannot readily substitute for established technical and management expertise.
Flavell called for structured training and reskilling alongside opportunities for women to progress into digital and AI careers. “Organisations must create clear pathways for women into digital and AI careers, through structured training, upskilling and reskilling, and real opportunities to progress,” she said.
Practical responses include transparent promotion criteria, equal access to assignments that develop leadership skills, reliable data about pay and advancement, and management accountability for retention. Employers also need to examine how flexible working, sponsorship and access to technical leadership affect career progression rather than assuming that a higher intake will eventually change senior representation.
The government figures show a substantial difference between the overall technology workforce and its leadership. FDM’s appeal for better promotion routes comes amid evidence that some women are leaving because their advancement has stalled. Greater recruitment into technology will have limited effect on senior representation unless experienced employees can also progress and remain in the industry.
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