Breaking into UK Tech from a Working-Class Background

The UK tech sector is still one of the least socially diverse industries. Why that is, and practical routes in for candidates from working-class backgrounds.

By Harry Twynham, IT Resourcing Consultant · Updated 3 September 2026

London skyline with Canary Wharf towers behind terraced housing

Key points

Only 9% of UK tech employees come from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Projects, certifications and networks help you get past a lack of connections.
Employers can widen access by paying interns and assessing skills, not background.

The UK tech sector is one of the country's fastest-growing industries, yet it remains one of the least socially diverse. Research published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in July 2026 found that only 9% of tech employees come from lower socio-economic backgrounds, compared with 29% in finance and 23% in law.

Part of the gap starts early, with unequal access to computing education, equipment and work experience. Part of it is how people are hired: referrals, unpaid internships and a narrow focus on particular universities all favour people who already have connections.

Progress, and where it has stalled

Some measures of diversity in tech have improved over the past decade, but momentum is fragile. When the Tech Talent Charter announced in June 2024 that it would close after nearly ten years, its leadership warned that too many diversity commitments across the industry had become lip service.

Advice if you are trying to break in

Build evidence of what you can do: projects on GitHub, certifications such as AWS, Azure or CompTIA, and free or funded courses, including government Skills Bootcamps.
Use LinkedIn and local tech meetups to build a network. Many roles are still filled through people you have met.
Look for employers and schemes that recruit on skills rather than background, including apprenticeships and entry-level schemes that do not require a degree.
Tell your story. A non-traditional route into tech shows determination, and good employers value it.

What employers can do

Pay interns, and advertise placements openly rather than through contacts.
Assess skills and potential, not the university on the CV.
Widen where you advertise, and ask your recruiter to do the same.

At Deerfoot, every application is reviewed on skills and experience by two consultants. Our guide to building a career in technology covers the main routes in.

Sources: DSIT, Building a Future Tech Sector That Works for Everyone: call for evidence findings; Computer Weekly, Tech Talent Charter to disband, June 2024.