Speaking to the BBC, Tim Cook said: “I think the essence of technology and its effect on humanity depends upon women being at the table.”
“Technology’s a great thing that will accomplish many things, but unless you have diverse views at the table that are working on it, you don’t wind up with great solutions.”
According to a recent PwC report, just 23% of people working in STEM roles in the UK are female, with just 5% of tech leadership roles being held by women. Worryingly, 78% of students surveyed for the report couldn’t name a famous female working in tech.
Apple also has work to do on its diversity agenda – as of 2021, Apple’s female staff equaled just 35%. However, the organisation is making steps in the right direction – they’ve seen an 89% increase in the number of female employees globally; and an 87% increase in the number of female employees in leadership roles globally.
Cook also called into question the number of girls taking up STEM subjects at school.
In August, it was reported that the number of girls taking GCSE Computing had jumped, but STEM subjects were taking a nose-dive overall.
Girls taking Computing at GCSE level had increased by 4.32%, but the total number of students sitting for STEM subjects in 2022, decreased by 1.58%.
“Businesses can’t cop out and say ‘there’s not enough women taking computer science – therefore I can’t hire enough’.”
“We have to fundamentally change the number of people that are taking computer science and programming.”
Cook’s comments come as Apple extends its App Store Foundation Program to the UK, focusing firstly on supporting female founders and developers. The program provides developers with additional support to help create even better apps. Developers participating in the program benefit from a tailored curriculum in which they work closely in one-to-one and group sessions with App Store leaders from across the UK and Europe.
Speaking about the program’s launch, Jen Walsh, Senior Director of the App Store and Services, International, said, “Crucial to the continued innovation and progress of the App Store is ensuring there is a diverse set of developers that can build brilliant apps and meet the needs of users around the world.”
“The launch of the App Store Foundations Program here in the UK, with its focus on female developers, will help nurture the existing community of female founders here and inspire the next generation to follow in their footsteps.”
