Women outperform men in demonstrating IT skills and are twice as likely to gain a relevant qualification, according to awarding organisation OCR.

More than two thirds (67%) of individuals achieving the body’s CLAiT IT qualification are female, and almost half of these (47%) are between the ages of 31 and 50.

Assistant Director of Vocational Assessment, Mary Bennett said that this disproved popular beliefs about computer literacy between the genders: “It is a common misconception that women are less interested in computers than men.”

Bennett emphasised the importance of female IT training to UK business, as a valuable addition to the skills pool.

“Information and Communication Technology is now central to most business operations, and as women play more of a role in today’s workplace, it is encouraging to see them embrace the opportunity to prove their credentials in computer skills and gain a nationally recognised qualification for their efforts,” she added.