Research has revealed that gender and ageism issues still dominate the IT working environment
Bryan Glick, Computing 23 Sep 2004
If you want to find a job in the UK IT industry, you'd best be young, male and committed to full-time working.
This is the reality for a sector that many believe will be fundamental to the future economic success of the UK, according to a major research project undertaken by the University of Cambridge Computing, 23 September).
But is this approach to recruitment and employment sustainable? Clearly not.
The European workforce is ageing - a demographic timebomb that will affect labour supply in every industry. But the problems are more profound in IT, and especially in the UK.
Computing has long been a campaigner for women in IT, in recognition of the male dominance of the sector. And perhaps the most prominent topic among the letters and emails we receive from readers is the difficulties of older, experienced IT professionals in trying to find a job.
But the Workforce Ageing in the New Economy (Wane) study suggests that the problems are deeply ingrained, and could lead to significant skills shortages if they are not addressed.
IT and ageing
The youthful bias of the IT industry is particularly pronounced in the UK, according to the research.
Some 55 per cent of UK IT workers are under 35, compared to 48 per cent in the Netherlands and only 41 per cent in Germany.
This may not have been such an issue, were it not for the rapid drop in attracting students and school leavers into the industry. The proportion of under-25s in UK IT has fallen from 11.7 per cent in 1995 to just 6.7 per cent last year. The Wane research suggests this is very much a UK problem - in the same period, the proportion of under-25s in Germany nearly trebled.
Despite the anecdotal evidence of reader letters, the number of over 45s in UK IT is actually growing slowly - the one in five 'older' workers representing a growth of 7.7 per cent since 1995. But compared to the growing proportion of over 50s in the wider workforce, IT is failing its most experienced employees.
'If IT is not able to address workforce ageing issues, it risks losing a lot of talent that has invested years in the industry,' says Dr Kerry Platman, senior research associate at the University of Cambridge Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Ageing.
'The risk is that companies will experience skills shortages. Nobody wins if you sidestep the issues.'
IT and gender
The lack of women pursuing careers in IT and science is a problem for the UK as a whole. Last week, Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt opened a facility to encourage more women to take up or return to work in science, engineering and technology (SET).
The Bradford-based UK Resource Centre for Women in SET will work closely with industry and academia, as well as receiving government funding of more than £4m over three years.
But in IT, the problem is growing fast, according to Wane. In 1995, the number of women in the industry in the UK peaked at 100,892- 21.2 per cent of the workforce. By 2003, there were just 53,759 - barely 12 per cent of total employment.
And the age issue is a greater factor here too - 75 per cent of women in UK IT are between 25 and 44, compared to 69 per cent of men.
'Women in IT tend to be younger than men, and there are more pronounced retention issues for women than men,' says Platman.
IT and flexible working
For an industry that is so keen to implement mobile working systems, IT professionals are expected to be remarkably inflexible.
Across the UK , one-quarter of the total workforce is part-time. In IT, the figure is just five per cent.
Platman says the lack of flexibility is a major factor in the age and gender issues facing UK IT. A greater availability of home, part-time and flexible working would attract more women and more older people to the industry.
'People in their 50s want to start "downshifting",' she says. 'If the industry is so heavily full-time oriented, that makes it hard for them to get back in.'
What next?
The next stage of the Wane research will try to understand the reasons behind the employment patterns in IT through a series of real-life case studies (see below).
But the industry must ask itself some serious questions if it is to make the most of the available workforce.
'Industry leaders in the IT sector have recognised the unsustainability of such a working culture,' says the Wane report.
'They argue for the development of human resource practices which attract and nurture talent from a much broader pool of labour? However, employers appear to have few incentives to introduce such innovative measures.'
How you can help
Wane is a Canadian funded project looking at the management approaches, working practices and employment transitions in the IT sector in Europe, the US, Canada and Australia.
The European research is led by the University of Cambridge Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Ageing, with contributions from a number of partners, including Computing.
Phase One of the project covered IT employment profiles, as described above.
Phase Two will work with IT firms to examine how employers can harness, strategically manage and sustain their workforce as the wider population ages.
Phase Three will examine international standards of best practice in the industry.
The project runs until 2006.
Wane is looking for companies to take part in Phase Two, to study their work history and plans, and to understand their human resource issues.
Firms that are interested in being considered should contact Dr Kerry Platman at the Wane Europe office at the University of Cambridge by emailing kp277@cam.ac.uk.
Glick, Bryan. (2004 September 23). Research has revealed that gender and ageism issues still dominate the IT working environment. Computing.
