New research highlights the disparity in tech certification, highlighting how the sector’s lack of diversity causes concern amid a widening digital skills gap.
The research, published by recruitment agency Jefferson Frank, highlights that more than half of tech professionals with disabilities (63%) will start a certification but do not complete it, compared to 41% of non-disabled tech professionals.
Time limitations were seen as a key factor to this statistic when it came to failing to complete a certification.
Caroline Fox, global EDI strategy lead, Jefferson Frank, commented: “It’s a substantial disparity, which tells us there’s still a great deal to do in terms of disability access and equity in tech.
"We need to be thinking about the fact that accessibility features can take longer, or that if a platform isn’t providing accessibility features, it can necessarily take someone longer to navigate it – and they may require more breaks, for example. There are set-up costs for accessibility features, but running costs are actually low. And of course, a business’ prepared to make that initial investment can affect whether a good quality implementation happens.”