Majority of women believe IT jobs are available to them

16:29 1st June 2009

Despite the low number of female employees working in IT, most women consider that they can pursue a career in the sector, according to a new study.

Jennifer Hewitt, chairman of the BCS (formerly the British Computer Society) YPG (Young Professionals Group), said that around 70 per cent of women feel they could enter the sector if they chose to, although this is not preventing an actual fall in numbers.

Only around 20 per cent of the current IT workforce is comprised of women, but this could change as attitudes towards computer training and the wider industry begin to shift and more people seek a career change.

Ms Hewitt said: "I actually think IT is open to women and a survey found that the majority of women - I think it was almost 70 per cent of them - said that they felt that there were IT jobs available to them."

Nearly 60 per cent of women have spent more time on the internet since the recession began and 50 per cent have their laptops within reach when they watch television in the evenings, according to research from Solutions Research Group.