British satellite builders In-Space Missions, global tech firm Thales, and missile manufacturer MBDA have joined defence multinational BAE Systems in seeking female tech talent with Code First Girls — the UK provider of free coding courses for women.

With the partnership, women — who can be from any professional or educational background — will be sponsored to study Code First Girls degrees, providing them with the essential coding skills that’ll then enable them to pursue on-the-ground defence and aerospace careers with companies such as In-Space Missions, Thales, MBDA, and BAE Systems.

In the UK, women are seriously underrepresented in the aerospace and defence sectors — reflecting the wider and global trend in STEM education and careers.

The UN, for instance, reports that the overall number of women in the global aerospace industry has remained static for the last 30 years, with the figure fluctuating between 20% and 22%. What’s more, women tend to be employed in administrative- and educational-focused roles rather than technical jobs (where men are twice as likely to have an engineering role), thereby obscuring an even wider gender gap beneath the surface.

Woman-led social enterprise Code First Girls, whose mission is to improve women’s participation in tech, says that they’re seeing an increasing number of women looking beyond roles offered by big tech firms, as tech companies more broadly are recognising that diversity is vital for innovation.

The recruitment drive comes at a pivotal time for the UK as it tries to establish itself as an aerospace leader, despite recent hiccups such as Virgin Orbit’s failed rocket launch in Cornwall in January.

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Elizabeth Seward, Head of Space Strategy & Future Business at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, commented on the drive, saying: “To stay ahead in the New Space Age, building capacity and diverse digital skills are essential for ensuring continued secure innovation. Yet, the glaring digital skills gap poses a significant challenge to the future of the space sector. Our research found that 56% of senior aerospace decision makers said the combination of attracting and retaining the right talent is presenting a major challenge.

“What’s more, over a quarter (26%) cited a lack of diversity – including gender, ethnic background and age – when it comes to recruiting STEM talent is holding back their business. Social enterprises, like Code First Girls, are therefore vital in driving a renaissance in the way the society thinks about STEM education and in giving women access to the digital skills required to innovate and stay ahead.

“We as an industry have a collective responsibility to inspire all of the next generation to look to the stars, regardless of gender and fostering opportunities closer to home will get us there. For government, business leaders and the space sector, the urgency of investing in STEM, and equipping innovators should be at the top of the policy agenda and part of every roadmap to future advantage in space.”

In-Space Missions’ Chief Operating Officer, Dr Kathryn O’Donnell, also commented, saying: “In our industry, diversity drives innovation by providing us the right mix of minds — giving us the competitive edge.

“Though we’re already bucking the trend in our sector for the number of women we employ, we recognise that we can do so much more – and our partnership with Code First Girls is a positive step towards eliminating the diversity gap.”