As the number of IT specialists the economy will need to compete in the future continues to grow, so the number of young people opting for technology degrees or careers continues to fall. Firms are asking what can be done to prevent the chronic skills shortages that will inevitably result from these trends?

Many years back, women were seen as an untapped source of much-needed IT expertise. Yet despite government and industry initiatives to attract more women to the sector, the number of female IT workers is still on a downwards spiral, currently standing at only 16 per cent of the overall IT workforce.

So it was encouraging that the recent digital skills event hosted by the IET and Equalitec moved beyond reaffirming the dire warnings and instead focused on practical solutions that UK firms can take now to avoid skills shortages. It was also reassuring to hear speakers from industry giants such as HP and Fujitsu Services focus on the business benefits of driving diversity into the IT workforce.

IT vendors are in a prime position to make a significant difference to the future make-up of the IT workforce, and the steps being taken by firms such as HP and Fujitsu should be followed elsewhere.