The Diversity in Tech report by the Tech Talent Charter (TTC), the UK’s leading non-profit driving diversity in tech, has revealed that Manchester and North West employers across their network of Signatories have greater gender diversity in their senior tech roles than those in the rest of the country. The annual report is based on diversity data reported by Signatories to the TTC, representing around 650 tech employers and more than 210,000 tech employees across the country.
It found that around 28% of tech roles in Manchester and the North West are filled by women and other gender minorities – comparable with the national average. However, when broken down by seniority, Manchester and North West firms reported 27% of their senior tech posts being filled by gender minorities, significantly higher than the national average of 22%. However, just 6% of tech roles in Manchester and the North West are from an ethnic minority, well behind the national average of 25%.
The report measures the actions being taken by tech employers to close the UK’s £63bn tech skills gap through initiatives designed to proactively attract, retain and develop a diverse talent base. The TTC breaks down the data by region to enable companies to measure their progress against others in the same part of the country.
To discuss the report’s findings and the ways in which companies can attract and retain more diverse talent, the Tech Talent Charter and PwC will host the TTC’s Diversity in Tech Roadshow on the 29th of March 2023, featuring a panel of industry leaders to discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion in the tech sector.
The key findings from the Manchester and North West region include:
- 21% of these organisations said that they measured genders other than non-binary.
- 6% of the tech employees based in the North West identify as an ethnic minority.
- The average ethnic minority % of organisations in the North West was 20%
- The average gender minority % of organisations in the North West was just over 28% – so just higher than the overall average of tech employees.
- The average gender minority in senior roles of organisations in the North West region was well above the average – at 27% (compared to overall average of 22%) as was their ethnic minority % at 21% (compared to 13% overall).
“It’s really encouraging to see Signatories in Manchester and the North West making such great progress on gender diversity in senior tech roles,” said Karen Blake, COO Partnerships of the Tech Talent Charter. “Manchester is a thriving hub for technological innovation and has an incredible opportunity to set an example for tech employers across the rest of the country. At our Diversity In Tech Roadshow, we’ll be looking at what other employers can learn from this progress and what more can be done to close the tech skills gap through a focus on diversity.”
Alexandra Balazs, Managing Director at event organiser Prolific North, said, “Diversity can drive positive change in technology and impact the way we think about innovation, whether it’s making the sector more inclusive and accessible or solving problems rather than creating new ones. Prolific North, as a media publisher and events company in tech and beyond, is committed to supporting initiatives promoting a wider representation in tech through our own events like Digital City Festival. We are proud to have the Tech Talent Charter’ Diversity in Tech Manchester Roadshow as one of the DCF partner events this year, and we’re excited to work together and grow our partnership in the coming months.”
The Diversity in Tech Roadshow on the 29th of March 2023 will be featuring a panel of industry leaders to discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion in the tech sector. The key points discussed will be routes to tech including returners and reskilling, and how best to support senior development for underrepresented groups. The event will also be looking at how a wave of impact can be created by including, informing, and equipping both hiring and middle managers to support diverse growth, promotion, and retention.
To register for the event, please visit the Tech Talent Charter website or click here.
