IT recruiter FDM has challenged the IT industry to recruit more women by setting a good example of appointing women to its board. 

According to the company, the most important testament to the company’s belief in female talent is its inclusion of six women on its management board.

Sheila Flavell, chief operating officer at FDM, says: “To hold a female majority on any managerial board is unusual but within the IT sector it is almost unheard of. We believe our recent achievements under this board emphasise just how important a strong female presence within the IT industry is to the future of the sector.”

IT professionals are in high demand, and according to a recent the e-skills report, over 550,000 IT roles will be available over the next five years.

And in the third quarter of 2010, the number of jobs advertised within the sector jumped to 101,000, while the number of IT professionals seeking work fell to 100,000. Flavell predicts a major IT skills crisis ahead unless action is taken.

“At FDM we aim to overcome this dilemma by bridging the gap between University and employment for graduates. However, without the inclusion of women within the sector it is inevitable that the industry and therefore the rest of the economy will suffer.”

The company also reaches out to women through its dedicated events team and visits 120 UK universities on a regular basis.

Bob Clift, head of higher education programmes at e-skills, adds: “What a lot of women don’t realise is that most IT roles are business-focused and are equally applicable to professionals of either sex. The problem the industry still faces is the common perception that IT roles are reserved for ‘geeky’ men but this couldn’t be further from the truth.”