The Women Pivoting to Digital Taskforce has concluded its two-year programme, leaving a legacy of research, resources, and policy recommendations aimed at addressing digital talent shortages and improving women's access to digital careers.
The taskforce, established in 2024 by the City of London Corporation, brought together over 100 organisations, including employers, training providers, and policymakers, to tackle the underrepresentation of women in digital roles and the persistent digital talent gaps within the financial, professional services, and technology sectors.
Over its two-year lifespan, the taskforce produced a business case report, an Untapped Talent
report, and policy recommendations for the government. Key findings highlighted that digital talent shortages cost the UK economy an estimated £978 million in productivity and £306 million in profits in 2024 alone. The taskforce also surveyed 1,013 women, revealing that 89% would reskill if supported by their employer and 71% were already applying for digital roles or undertaking training.
Broader Implications and Policy Recommendations
Beyond the significant financial costs of talent shortages, the underrepresentation of women in digital roles has broader economic and societal implications. The taskforce's report highlights that a persistent digital talent gap could lead to the UK economy losing billions in productivity and profits over the next decade. Furthermore, the rapid advancement of AI and automation poses a risk of displacing a significant number of women's jobs in these sectors, potentially leading to insecurity and severance costs for firms that do not implement reskilling pathways. The taskforce noted that women are more likely to be affected by redundancies related to AI and automation.
To address these challenges, the Women Pivoting to Digital Taskforce
developed policy recommendations focused on three key themes: identifying workers and occupations at risk of AI-driven transition, creating employer demand for reskilled talent, and providing clearer guidance to employers and training providers on women-focused reskilling initiatives. These recommendations were released in August 2026. While the taskforce has secured access to relevant policy discussions and built a foundation for influence, the paper notes that policy adoption and implementation require longer-term monitoring and sustained engagement beyond the taskforce's formal conclusion. The current status of their consideration or implementation is not detailed beyond ongoing engagement with government departments, Skills England, and parliamentarians.
Employer Actions and Barriers to Entry
Olivia, presenting the taskforce's update, emphasised that talent is often in plain sight
and that all talent is important for the sector's success. She also noted the significant impact of the AI explosion on women's roles, with women being more likely to be affected by redundancies due to automation. The taskforce's survey of 1,013 women aimed to articulate the barriers women face when entering, transitioning into, and remaining in digital roles. Primary barriers identified include a lack of clear and practical routes into digital careers, structural barriers requiring government-backed policy, and the need for employers to adapt recruitment, assessment, and reskilling practices. Additionally, a lack of information, confidence, and practical tools for women seeking career changes were highlighted.
While the taskforce succeeded in building and communicating the case for change, evidence of concrete employer actions remains a legacy challenge. Specifically, only one employer launched an internal reskilling programme against an objective of three.
However, Lloyds Banking Group and Aviva are expanding their digital workforces by investing in alternative hiring routes, and partner organisations report converting 80% to 90% of participants from training courses into permanent roles. The taskforce's recommendations for businesses include auditing roles at risk of automation, piloting reskilling programmes, securing senior leadership sponsorship, and adapting selection processes to assess aptitude and motivation. They also advocate for working with training providers to design flexible and accessible training that combines technical skills with transferable skills, alongside coaching and structured support.
Continuing the Legacy
The taskforce aimed to encourage employers to fill digital talent gaps with women from non-technical backgrounds and to support women in making career pivots into digital roles. While the taskforce has now formally concluded, efforts will continue to keep its outputs alive through ongoing relationships and by encouraging taskforce members to champion its key messages. These key messages include the importance of all talent
for the sector's success, the idea that talent is often in plain sight
with a change in perspective, and the significant impact of the AI explosion
on women's roles, making them a target group likely to lose jobs through agentic AI. The report does not specify mechanisms for tracking the dissemination of these messages.
Members of the Equity, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Sub-Committee were encouraged to champion the taskforce's findings within their networks and organisations to help address digital talent gaps and promote career transitions for women into digital roles. The taskforce also developed a Turn to Tech Digital Career Change Course
to support women in pivoting to digital roles.
For more information on the Equity, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Sub-Committee, see the Agenda frontsheet and Public reports pack.
