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BUILDING LOCAL TECH TALENT PIPELINES: HOW IPO UPSKILLED WOMEN IN WALES
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is the UK government body responsible for intellectual property rights, including patents, designs, trademarks, and copyright.
Since 2022, the IPO has partnered with Code First Girls (CFG) to tackle the challenge of diversifying tech talent across the UK, and so far has provided over 1,000 women with the opportunity to upskill in tech subjects.
For their most recent programme, the IPO focused on providing women in their local community of Wales with opportunities to get into tech. Hiring for tech roles in Wales is traditionally more difficult due to its location outside of London however, through this partnership, the IPO were able to build a diverse tech talent pipeline and place women into roles in their Newport office.
This programme upskilled over 130 women in digital skills with our Kickstarter Classes, to build up a hiring pipeline. Candidates were then selected to progress into our advanced education, and upon their successful completion, the IPO hired these women into roles within their tech team. These CFG graduates are now working in positions such as Digital Delivery Apprentice Developer and Digital Delivery Apprentice Automation Tester.
67%
of CFGdegree students were career switchers
80%+
of all cohorts had beginner or no technical experience
100%
retention of CFGdegree hires within roles at IPO
The problem
The challenge of diverse hiring outside of the UK’s capital
While the number of women starting computing degrees is rising, with 2024 seeing the gender gap the smallest it’s ever been, women still make up just 25% of students. On top of this, graduates are more likely to move to other parts of the country and predominantly to areas with higher paid jobs such as London and the South East of England. This leads to a higher concentration of tech talent within larger cities, and a widening of the regional skills gap in areas such as Newport, Wales.
The IPO recognised the need to build an alternative talent pipeline that empowered women within their local community to choose tech careers, and partnered with Code First Girls to provide free education and employment opportunities.
The solution
1. A local focus
The IPO were looking to bring more diverse talent into their office in Newport, but considering the gender disparity present in STEM higher education, they knew they needed to look at non-traditional and innovative solutions to generate a diverse tech talent pipeline. To ignite interest and skill-building in relevant tech topics, IPO started by sponsoring Data & SQL and Python & Apps classes for over 130 women in the local community. The response was overwhelming, with the courses being 148% oversubscribed and proving a strong demand for upskilling opportunities in the local area. This was a major proof point demonstrating that women in Wales wanted to learn to code if given the opportunity.
By providing accessible, free education, IPO created a stepping stone for women to develop foundational tech knowledge around their existing obligations, such as working or parenting. These online classes empowered women to explore new skills in tech, and opened doors to further education and employment opportunities.
2. Reducing regional barriers to entry
This year, there is expected to be only one qualified woman for every 128 tech roles across the UK. The IPO knew that reducing barriers to entry, such as degree requirements and previous technical experience, was vital in addressing the growing gender gap in tech. 75% of applicants to the advanced tech education programme, the CFGdegree, had no technical experience, and 100% of women accepted onto the course came from a non-technical background.
The candidates came from a range of different career and learning backgrounds, from health and clinical sciences to business and humanities. The previous experience held by career switchers provided the students with soft skills, such as managerial experience and project management, that enabled them to flourish in their studies and future careers.
3. Investing in alternative tech talent pipelines
For the third year running, Code First Girls and IPO will be working together to provide more women with free education and employment opportunities across local communities in the UK.
The success of this partnership demonstrates how valuable alternative tech talent pipelines can be to providing women with new opportunities to thrive in the industry. It has also demonstrated that, if given the right opportunity and environment to develop their tech skills, businesses can find exceptional tech talent locally, creating an additional pipeline to help build out more diverse teams. And diverse teams directly benefit the wider organisation too, impacting everything from innovation to productivity to retention.
The results
The partnership between the IPO and CFG has proven that diverse hiring is achievable when organisations invest in inclusive, accessible talent pipelines. By providing free education, targeted career opportunities, and ongoing support, IPO has helped to shape a more diverse tech workforce in Wales.
As the partnership continues into 2025, the success of this initiative stands as a powerful blueprint for other organisations looking to bridge the gender gap in tech and build stronger, more inclusive teams for the future.
GET IN TOUCH WITH CODE FIRST GIRLS
Companies around the world trust Code First Girls to:
- Build tech talent pipelines within local communities
- Attract diverse tech talent through upskilling career switchers and tech beginners
- Enable the development of diverse tech teams by providing comprehensive education across in-demand technical skills
Why not find out for yourself? Speak to our experts here. 👇