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How Skyscanner PROMOTES DIVERSITY IN TECH TALENT
Since partnering in 2023, Skyscanner and Code First Girls have shared a clear mission: break down barriers and support diversity in tech talent. The partnership has spanned sponsoring our entry-level tech programme, the CFGdegree, hiring CFGdegree graduates directly into Skyscanner’s engineering team , and most recently, fundring free AI training for aspiring female tech talent.
1,700+
Learning opportunities delivered to women
4 X
Programme expansion since 2023
47%
Of CFG grads were career switchers
The Problem
Competing for top tech talent and increasing diversity in a challenged market
The problem: increasing diversity in the tech sector
The technology sector remains far from representative of the people it serves. Women accounted for just 22% of UK IT specialists in 2025, compared with 49% of the working population. Increasing diversity requires sustained attention to who enters the sector, who stays and who progresses.
The challenge extends beyond recruitment. Creating lasting change means widening access to technology careers, supporting career development and ensuring people can thrive through different life stages. Skyscanner’s ambition was, and continues to be, building a more diverse talent pipeline and a workplace where that talent can develop, contribute and lead.
Skyscanner’s reports identify early career partnerships, mentoring, leadership development and support for returning parents as priorities. They also recognise that gender pay reporting cannot fully capture the overlapping experiences of people from different backgrounds.
The Solution
Unlocking new tech talent pools
Our first partnership saw Skyscanner sponsoring ‘career switchers’ and bringing them into internal technical roles. Career switchers – women who come from non-technical backgrounds and transition into tech – s already possess valuable knowledge and leadership experience from their previous roles. This initiative also aligned with Skyscanner’s diversity targets of bringing more women into tech at all levels by 2025, including 40% women in leadership.
INVESTING IN HIGH-DEMAND AI SKILLS
This year, Skyscanner took their partnership a step further by investing in high-demand AI training for local communities. With research showing that women adopt AI tools at a 25% lower rate than men, Skyscanner knew early investment was critical.
As AI reshapes the sector, access to learning can support both entry into technical roles and future progression, helping women develop their expertise as technology changes. It is also an opportunity to broaden who helps shape AI, bringing more perspectives into its development and use.
The Results
Skyscanner is now a true trailblazer in opening doors for diverse tech talent.
As of December 2025, 27.2% of Skyscanner’s tech roles are held by women, alongside 41.1% of leadership roles
Why Choose Code First Girls
Companies around the world trust Code First Girls to provide:
- Practical, high-impact training – We give women the coding and data skills they need to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact.
- Access to diverse talent – We connect companies with candidates from non-traditional backgrounds, bringing fresh ideas and new ways of thinking to your teams.
- A supportive community – Our network of peers, mentors, and alumni gives women ongoing encouragement, while our CFG-led technical coaching ensures candidates continue to thrive once in role.
- Programmes built for business outcomes – We align training with your goals, creating inclusive, resilient teams that drive innovation and results.
Why not find out for yourself? Speak to our experts here. 👇
