Nominations are open for the everywoman in Technology Awards, now in their 17th year, with entries accepted until 26 October. The free-to-enter programme aims to showcase female role models across the technology sector – from apprentices to the C-suite – at a time when automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping jobs and recruitment.
Why the awards matter now
Organisers say the awards exist to create visible role models who can inspire career-changers and young women to enter technology roles. That goal is framed by striking figures showing both the risk posed by automation and the scale of the UK’s digital skills shortfall.
| Figure | Detail |
|---|---|
| 119,000 | Estimated reduction in administrative and clerical roles by 2035 due to AI (roles often held by women) |
| £10.8bn | Projected economic loss from the digital talent gap between 2024 and 2035 |
| £3.3bn | Associated projected loss in profits over the same period |
| 20% | Proportion of UK AI roles held by women in 2025; a fall of 4 percentage points since 2020 |
Those numbers underline a paradox: the very industries likely to cull routine administrative jobs are simultaneously struggling to recruit people with digital skills. That creates openings — and a pressing need — for more women to be trained and hired into technical roles.
What the awards do
The awards highlight women at every stage of their careers so they can act as public role models and encourage more women to join the technology workforce. The programme organisers argue that visible success stories can help attract women into training paths and jobs where they are currently under-represented.
- Free entry for nominees until 26 October.
- Recognition spans from apprenticeships through to senior leadership positions.
- Aims to build role models to address the gender imbalance in tech and AI roles.
Campaigners and industry groups have repeatedly flagged the gender gap within emerging technology disciplines. The awards come against evidence that women constituted just 20% of AI roles among surveyed UK organisations in 2025, a decline from earlier in the decade.
That downward trend is notable because expanding AI and automation are shifting the structure of many workplaces. Research estimates suggest a sizeable reduction in administrative and clerical posts by 2035, roles traditionally populated by women — raising the prospect that AI could worsen gender disparities unless more women move into the higher-value digital jobs that are in short supply.
Consequences for the economy and recruitment
Economists and employers warn that failing to close the digital skills gap will hit growth and corporate profits. The organisers cite estimates that the UK could forfeit about £10.8 billion between 2024 and 2035 because of the talent shortage, and a further £3.3 billion in foregone profits. Hiring more women into digital roles is framed not only as a matter of fairness but as an economic necessity.
By elevating female achievement, the awards aim to do more than reward success: they seek to provide visible career paths for young people and those considering retraining, helping to steer talent into fast-growing parts of the economy.
Organisers say entries are encouraged from across sectors where technical capability is increasingly crucial, including financial services, professional services and technology firms grappling with AI-driven change. The awards are positioned as a practical intervention to promote diversity at a time when the shape of the workplace is in flux.
Those wishing to enter or nominate a candidate for the everywoman in Technology Awards have until 26 October to submit entries.
