The tech industry has a long-held legacy of diversity issues. According to a 2021 report by TechNation, individuals from underrepresented backgrounds only make up 15.2% of the tech workforce — with Black people making up only 3% of that figure, according to Hired.
Women also remain heavily underrepresented across the industry. The percentage of women employed in tech has hardly budged from 15.7% in 2009 to 17% today. In 2017, women programmers and software developers made up only 3.9% of tech and telecoms professionals in the UK — which was actually down from 10% in 2007. Women also hold a mere 10% of the industry’s leadership roles.
We need to transform the tech industry from the inside out, and that means embellishing tech teams with diverse perspectives. The tech industry should represent the society we live in — and increasing access begins with removing some of the financial barriers that stop so many talented individuals from forging fulfilling careers in tech.
The scholarship
This year, we set out to do exactly that by launching our Represent Scholarships in partnership with two organisations dedicated to diversifying the software industry: Coding Black Females and Codebar. As part of the scholarships, we offered 6 free places on our 16-week coding bootcamp to members of each community (totalling 12 free places overall).
Founded in 2017 by Charlene Hunter, Coding Black Females is one of the largest platforms for Black software developers in the UK and provides career support and educational opportunities for Black women and girls interested in gaining software skills. Similarly, Codebar is a charity dedicated to running programming workshops for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to develop their coding skills. Today, it has a network of students and coaches all over the world.
As part of the scholarship, the successful candidates were given full access to our world-class training programme worth £8,000 — including tailored career support from our coaches to help them land their first roles as qualified developers after graduating. To establish a more long-term impact, we’ll also be offering unlimited places for Coding Black Females and Codebar members at a discounted rate indefinitely.
The scholars
So what attracted our scholars to the software industry? According to former PR manager Adrienne Galloway, recognising how vital digital skills can be is what drove her interest in the role of software within the user journey — as well as the flexibility the career path offers. “Becoming a software engineer would allow me to have more freedom over my own career progression by being able to build a portfolio outside of work and take on freelance projects. The field also offers constant learning, which is something I enjoy in a job. The software ecosystem is evolving rapidly and continually learning new technologies and languages is something that appeals to me.”
Similarly, former public sector worker Luke Taylor felt drawn to the lack of cookie-cutter structure in the tech industry. “The opportunities are endless — you get to help shape the future, and nobody with all the wisdom in the world can tell you the specifics of what comes next. I always want to be challenged, to be aware, to be learning. For this reason, I’m committed to joining a startup or small business that will value me as a person, instead of being another cog in a big, institutional machine.”
For some scholars, the Makers bootcamp is a step towards bigger career goals: “I hope to pave the way for fellow neurodivergent people to get into tech in a more open way, to offer support in this area, centre on accessibility first approach, and work on projects that matter and make a change for the greater good.” Says former graphic designer Chloë Emily Stokes. “And maybe even have my own agency one day!”
Final thoughts
In 2022, we’re taking things up a notch with 40 free places for women — and will continue working closely with Coding Black Females, Codebar and Muslamic Makers to keep a steady flow of exceptional, diverse talent. Former travel worker Farya’s advice for future scholars? “Do it with passion and confidence of course, and use the power it gives you for the right reasons — to benefit communities rather than individuals.”
To encourage these vital conversations to flourish, we’re hosting an exciting panel discussion titled 5 ways to attract and retain women in tech roles, featuring speakers from Hustle Crew, InnovateHer and Happity. Sign up here!
If you enjoyed this article, check out our roundup of five organisations amplifying Black voices in tech.
