We’re really proud to announce the launch of the Future Talent Alliance - designed to bridge the gap between businesses and schools. This new initiative will help to create pathways and opportunities for the next generation of talent, driving gender parity in the workplace by fostering long-term, sustainable change.
By being part of the Future Talent Alliance, companies have a platform where they can take positive, strategic action to foster equality and inclusion.
Tackling the issue
Gender parity remains a persistent challenge in the workplace today, despite the measures that have been introduced to help address this, such as pay gap reporting. Whilst the pay gap has narrowed over the past two decades, it still persists and its impact is keenly felt.i According to the TUC, 16 February 2025 was the day this year that the average woman stopped working for free compared to the average man.ii
However, it should also be remembered that gender pay gap reporting is just one measure of improved inclusivity. If companies focus solely on this, it can lead to superficial measures to improve this symptom rather than looking at the root cause. The goal here is not tokenistic gestures but long-term sustainable change.
Overall, the data shows that by implementing gender pay gap reporting, the UK government has driven positive change and highlighted the problem. The question now is, are businesses doing enough?
The latest figures show that 78% of UK companies pay men more than women for the same work, which is the same as in 2018.iii Furthermore, recent analysis suggests that reaching equality in the UK will take another 40 years, based on the current data.iv
Strength in numbers
Some companies are working hard to address gender imbalances in their own organisations but for many, it’s seen as a wider issue that individual organisations can’t tackle by themselves.
The Future Talent Alliance aims to counter this by creating a larger entity that can come together to bridge the gap and address the problem at grass roots level, with engagement in schools, whilst simultaneously helping businesses to create the pathways and environments to make change possible.
One of the key problems in schools that has a direct impact on gender parity in the workplace is the underrepresentation of girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Preconceptions and role models have a huge influence here, with data showing that the number of girls interested in STEM almost doubles when they have a role model to inspire them.v
Research by UNESCO in 2022 affirmed that the UK picture aligned with the global one, which showed women held less than 25% of science, engineering and ICT jobs.vi
As the growth of AI and the digital revolution continues, the demand for tech skills intensifies, so this becomes an even greater concern. The likelihood is that without more concerted efforts, the situation will worsen over the coming years. Reaching children at the right time is crucial.
Attesting to this, a recently published study in England showed that a gender gap has opened up between boys and girls in maths and science. The gap in Year 9 maths has increased since 2020 when the same research was previously conducted, with boys scoring 26 points higher than girls – the biggest gap of any country in the study.vii
Breaking barriers in male-led sectors
Recent analysis by Skillscast showed that the construction industry has the most male-dominated workforce, with nine out of 10 workers (87%) being male. Meanwhile the financial and insurance services sectors report the highest gender pay gaps. Manufacturing, education, health and agriculture were also highlighted in the report.viii
In technology, women are described as “trailing their male counterparts in terms of pay, leadership roles and representation.” ix Recent statistics from Women in Tech show early misconceptions from a lack of education as the primary reason why women are put off working in the technology sector. The next biggest issue is dominance by men, illustrating the urgent need to break this cycle.v
Culture needs to be a key focus for employers with multiple studies highlighting the serious concerns arising in male-dominated environments, which then deter other women from wanting to enter these sectors.xi
For businesses, this is about more than social responsibility, it's a strategic imperative. Companies need to invest in long-term change by addressing these inequalities early and looking ahead to the next generation.
“We’re delighted to be a partner for the Future Talent Alliance which aims to bridge the gap between businesses and schools, in order to drive gender parity and inclusion in the workplace. We look forward to hosting the inaugural conference in July to facilitate debate on this topic that will inform long-term, sustainable change.”
Sarah Featherstone, Director of School Operations,
Alliance Manchester Business School
Getting involved
Participating businesses will attend the inaugural event on Friday 4 July at Alliance Manchester Business School, with a series of panel debates alongside talks from experts in the field on topics including:
- The digital and AI revolution: understanding the gender impact
- Sector spotlights on finance, tech, construction and education
- How to change perceptions and the need for role models
- Getting involved: new resources for schools
All businesses participating will be included in the resource pack which will be going into schools in September 2025 for the 2025/26 academic year. The outputs of the conference will inform the pack and businesses can choose their level of involvement, including providing information and advice, hosting workplace visits (real or virtual) and offering speakers and mentors as part of the Future Talent Fortnight in November 2025.
There will also be a roundtable event where partners and sponsors can preview of the resource pack before it launches.
Sowing the seeds of change
The resource pack itself will be aimed at Year 9 students, aged 12 to 13 years old, who are at the critical pre-GCSE decision-making stage. Multiple studies have shown that exposure to visible role models and early understanding of different career paths can be transformative, opening minds to sectors and possibilities that students (particularly girls) may not have previously considered. This helps to shape aspirations and build a more inclusive workforce from the ground up.
By being part of this initiative, brands not only to support social mobility and gender equality but also invest in the long-term health and diversity of the UK talent pipeline.
For businesses interested in joining the Future Talent Alliance, choose from the packages on offer by clicking the image below.
Schools wishing to participate for free can register here for the educators’ pack
The pack includes:
-Invitation to the July 2025 conference
-Resource pack (available from September)
-Future Talent Fortnight connections platform 25/26
For general enquiries please email futuretalentalliance@ampcomms.co.uk
Notes
i 2024-25 Gender pay gap report, HMRC, Gov.uk
ii Gender pay gap means women work first 48 days of the year unpaid, TUC, February 2025
iii Gender pay gap: 78% of large UK companies and public sector bodies paymen more than women, figures reveal, The Independent, April 2018
iv Gender pay gap ‘won’t close until 2065’, Personnel Today, January 2025
v Annual Statistics Roundup 2024, Wise, 2024
vii Girls in England lag behind boys in maths and science study, BBC, March 2025