Summary
Black women made up 1.8% of the UK workforce in 2022 but only 0.7% of IT professionals, falling to 0.6% by 2024, according to data from the British Computer Society and Coding Black Females. Manchester Digital's new research, launched this week, reframes the question from why Black women are absent to what structural conditions prevent existing talent from being recognised, supported and progressed within Greater Manchester's tech ecosystem.
The research, developed using a trauma-informed approach through participatory workshops with Black women in the region's tech and digital sector, identified recurring themes around systemic barriers. The findings were presented at a senior leadership roundtable at Autotrader, bringing together tech leaders, employers, policymakers and ecosystem partners to discuss meaningful structural change.
Manchester City Council's Digital Strategy Lead noted that the region has an opportunity to reshape its tech ecosystem deliberately, emphasising that avoiding overlooked talent is essential for competitiveness and tackling inequality. The research is intended as a starting point for ongoing ecosystem collaboration and action across Greater Manchester's tech sector.
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Common questions
- What is this article about?
- New research by Manchester Digital, Beetroot Consulting and Manchester City Council explores why Black women remain significantly underrepresented in Greater Manchester's tech sector, making up just 0.6% of IT professionals in 2024 compared to 1.8% of the wider workforce. The study, developed through participatory workshops, identifies systemic conditions affecting access, progression and visibili
- When was this published?
- This article was published on 14 July 2026.
- Who published this article?
- This article was published by Manchester Digital.