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England  \nThe Tech Pipeline  \nInvestigating educational pathways into the sector in  \nEngland.  \nTechnical Report  \nMaria Pia Iocco, Michael Scott, Luke Bocock, Sarah Tang and Juan Manuel Del Pozo Segura  \nPublished in November 2025  \nBy the National Foundation for Educational Research, The Mere, Upton Park, Slough, Berkshire SL1 2DQ  \n[https://www.nfer.ac.uk/](https://www.nfer.ac.uk/)  \n© 2025 National Foundation for Educational Research  \nRegistered Charity No. 313392 ISBN: 978-1-916567-46-7  \nHow to cite this publication:  \nIocco, M. P. , Scott, M. , Bocock, L. , Tang , S. and Del Pozo Segura, JM. (2025) . The Tech Pipeline: Investigating educational pathways  \ninto the sector in England (Technical Report) . Slough: NFER.  \nContents  \n1 Introduction 1  \n2 Key findings 3  \n3 Research design and methodology 5  \n4 Educational pathways into the tech workforce: Headline Results 9  \n5 Educational pathways into the tech workforce: Analysis of pathways to and from specific  \nqualifications 13  \n6 Disparities between different groups in entry and progression into, and earnings in, the tech  \nworkforce 35  \n7 Classifications of Tech Industries and Tech Occupations 47  \n8 References 50  \n9 Appendix 51  \n1 Introduction  \nThis is one ofa suite of reports published by NFER and The Hg Foundation on changes in UK tech hiring, future opportunities in the sector and education pathways into jobs in the tech sector. This report presents the findings of secondary data analysis, completed by NFER in 2025, on the tech pipeline. This report accompanies a Summary Report – ‘The Tech Pipeline ’and sits alongside another report on past trends and future predictions for UK tech hiring.  \nAs part of the UK’s broader Modern Industrial Strategy , the ‘Digital and Technologies’ strategy suggests that the tech sector contributes about £207 billion in gross value added (GVA) and supports over 2.6 million jobs , with productivity 19 percent higher than the national average. This is expected to increase by £90 billion, creating 500,000 jobs by 2035 (UK Government, 2025) . Developing the tech skills pipeline has been stated as a national priority and the government is investing nearly £200m in funding focused on bursaries, outreach, apprenticeships, and fellowships to develop a skilled workforce. Yet relatively little is currently understood about educational trajectories into tech.  \nThe tech sector is especially reliant on degree-educated workers; in growing occupational areas like Artificial Intelligence and Quantum , more than two-thirds of early career workers hold higher education qualifications , as shown in Figure 1 , and in some occupations this proportion tops 85%(programmers and software developers) , as can be seen in Figure 2 (DfE, 2024) . Amongst early career workers in AI and quantum industries , nearly half pursued a degree in technology, ICT or engineering , illustrating the particular importance of degree-level technology skills to the sector.  \nFigure 1 Highest qualification of workers in ‘critical technology’ sectors  \nGCSEs  A/AS levels  Apprenticeship  Further Education  Higher Education  \nNotes: Financial year 2018, SOC2010 . Source: Department for Education, Skills and Jobs dashboard.  \nFigure 2 Educational pathways to early career employment by selected occupations.  \nPercentage  \n100%  \n90%  \n80%  \n70%  \n60%  \n50%  \n40%  \n30%  \n20%  \n10%  \n0%  \nDesign and  \ndevelopment engineers SOC2010  \nEngineering technicians SOC2010  \nIT business analysts, architects and systems designers SOC2010  \nProgrammers and software development professionals SOC2010  \n Higher Education  \n Further Education  \n Apprenticeship  \n A/AS levels  \n GCSEs  \nNotes: Financial year 2018, SOC2010 . Source: Department for Education, Skills and Jobs dashboard.  \nThe Tech Talent Charter has also highlighted clear and concerning disparities in participation and career progressio","cbCaivW2sViInocY","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaivW2sViInocY","pdf",929506,63,"English","# Introduction\n# Key findings\n# Research design and methodology\n# Educational pathways into the tech workforce: Headline Results\n# Educational pathways into the tech workforce: Analysis of pathways to and from specific qualifications\n# Disparities between different groups in entry and progression into, and earnings in the tech workforce\n# Classifications of Tech Industries and Tech Occupations\n# References\n# Appendix","[{\"question\":\"What is the main purpose of The Tech Pipeline technical report?\",\"answer\":\"To analyze educational pathways into the tech sector in England and explain how qualifications relate to entry, progression, and earnings outcomes for the tech workforce.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the report connect educational choices to employment outcomes?\",\"answer\":\"It examines pathway patterns from different qualifications into early career roles and studies how disparities in participation and progression vary across groups.\"},{\"question\":\"Which groups does the report focus on when discussing disparities?\",\"answer\":\"The report emphasizes disparities affecting women, ethnic minorities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including differences in subject choices and career progression.\"}]","The Tech Pipeline - Investigating educational pathways into the sector in England - Technical Report | PDF",1792057300,159]