The report found that in an economy close to full employment, failing to fully utilise the advanced digital capability of women in the labour market is unsustainable.
The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), which produces independent research with the objective of informing policies that support a healthy economy and social progress, has released a new report exploring gender and the digital skills gap in Europe.
What was discovered is that Ireland currently has Europe’s largest gender gap in advanced digital skills usage in the workplace. According to the research, 44pc of men in Ireland use advanced digital skills in their jobs, compared to just 18pc of women. This shows a difference of 26pc, close to double the European average.
The report – which was developed in partnership with Block W – noted women in Ireland use advanced digital skills at rates broadly comparable to women elsewhere in Europe, with the large gap instead reflecting the particularly high rates of advanced digital skill use among men in Ireland.
Prof Joyce O’Connor, the co-founder and chair of Block W, stated: “In an economy close to full employment, and one that relies heavily on international ICT talent, failing to fully utilise the advanced digital capability of women already in the labour market is inefficient and unsustainable.”
While differences in the types of jobs men and women do can explain a relatively larger share of the gap in Ireland than in other European countries, the report stated that a substantial portion remains unexplained, exposing the possible influence of unobserved structural, cultural and organisational factors specific to Ireland’s labour market.
The report stated: “The evidence shows that closing the gender gap in digital skill use at work will require more than increasing women’s participation in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education or occupations. While education and access to digital jobs are important, the results highlight the need for further research into other factors that may shape opportunities to develop and apply advanced digital skills.”
Closed doors
ESRI’s research found that one such factor limiting women in the widespread use of advanced digital skills is their underrepresentation in roles considered digitally intensive. The report stated: “An understanding of who gets access to and/or performs digitally-intensive work is therefore crucial for designing policies that ensure women are not left behind as the digital economy advances.”
Age was also determined to be a contributing factor, with the report finding that across Europe, women categorised as younger – under 35 – face larger digital skill gaps than their older peers.
“Gender gaps in advanced digital skills use are larger among younger workers and are less easily explained by differences in observable characteristics such as education or occupation. This suggests the issue is not a legacy problem among older cohorts and will not resolve automatically over time,” explained the report.
Commenting on the research, Dr Adele Whelan, a senior research officer at ESRI, said: “These gender gaps persist even among women and men with similar education levels, fields of study and occupations. This indicates that encouraging women into STEM education and occupations, while essential, will not on its own close the divide. Women are underrepresented in the most digitally-intensive roles, pointing to a potential ‘digital glass ceiling’ within workplaces.
“The finding that younger women already face large gaps is a particular concern for policymakers, as it suggests the problem will not resolve on its own and requires targeted action. Addressing these issues is important not only for gender equality, but also for productivity, innovation and inclusive economic growth in Ireland.”
O’Connor added: “For Ireland, these findings should give us pause. Competitiveness, innovation and resilience depend not only on investment and infrastructure, but on what happens inside workplaces: how advanced digital work is designed and allocated, whose expertise is trusted and who gets access to high-value opportunities.
“In an economy facing skills shortages, failing to fully utilise women’s advanced digital capability is an avoidable constraint on growth. Further research is needed on task allocation and progression within firms, and on what interventions positively impact outcomes. This report provides a timely evidence base to inform the Updated National Digital and AI Strategy and wider policy action.”
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