Why Don’t More Young Women Study Computing?

As studies from government and industry consistently make clear, the global workforce of the future will benefit from greater diversity and inclusion. At present, one of the largest skills gaps in the labour market is in the field of computing and digital technology, with the industry in the United Kingdom (UK) growing 32% faster than the economy overall (Tech Nation, 2018).

Acknowledging the need for greater participation in computing at schools, alongside heightening levels of diversity and inclusion, has led to this CCEA research paper. A significant gender disparity exists in computing at schools in NI, with considerably more males currently pursuing computing-related subjects at both GCSE and A Level. This CCEA research paper therefore examines the presently low levels of participation of female students in computing related subjects in NI, attempting to (i) understand why fewer young women study these subjects, and (ii) establish various ways in which their participation might be encouraged and thus their overall entry numbers at school increased.

It is the contention of this research paper that the total entry numbers of females into computing-related subjects in NI at GCSE and A Level is much lower than that of males and, importantly, that the primary causes of this differential stem from cultural stereotyping.

Specifically, it is the stereotyping of computing as a male-dominated activity that dissuades young women from feeling a sense of belonging in the computing environment; that, as a result, causes females’ increased computer anxiety and lower self-efficacy. These feelings are worsened by the negative experiences with computers young females often have at home, at school, in popular culture, and when faced with computing as a career. These factors establish significant barriers to female participation in computing at school, therefore, reflected by the low level of female entry across GCSE and A Level in NI.