EU tech workforce expands but diversity lags behind

Employment in ICT-related fields across the EU increased during 2025, with Cyprus standing out for its highly educated workforce in the sector.

According to Eurostat, 3.4 million people were employed in the EU with an education in information and communication technology in 2025, marking a rise of 5.1 per cent compared with 3.2 million in 2024.

Cyprus emerged as one of the top performers in educational attainment, with 96.4 per cent of ICT-educated workers holding tertiary qualifications.

This places Cyprus among the leading EU countries, alongside Denmark and France, where the vast majority of ICT professionals have completed higher education.

Across the bloc, more than seven in ten ICT-educated workers held tertiary degrees, accounting for 74.8 per cent of total employment in the sector.

The remaining 25.2 per cent had upper secondary or post-secondary education, highlighting a strong overall skills base in the EU’s digital workforce.

Despite this progress, the data revealed a persistent gender imbalance, with men making up 83.4 per cent of ICT-educated employees in 2025.

In total, around 2.8 million men were employed in the sector, compared with approximately 0.6 million women.

Although the number of women with ICT education has increased over the past decade, their overall share has remained largely unchanged.

In fact, the number of women in ICT employment fell by 2.6 per cent compared with 2024, with their share declining from 17.9 per cent to 16.6 per cent.

This trend underscores ongoing challenges in improving gender diversity in the digital economy, even as demand for ICT skills continues to rise.

Significant differences were also observed between EU member states, particularly in the gender composition of ICT employment.

Countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Latvia recorded the highest shares of men in ICT roles, all exceeding 89 per cent.

By contrast, northern and eastern European countries showed relatively stronger female representation, with Denmark, Sweden and Romania leading in this category.

Denmark recorded the highest share of women in ICT employment at 30.0 per cent, followed closely by Sweden at 29.8 per cent.

Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia also posted comparatively higher female participation rates, although still below parity.

Meanwhile, the data highlighted disparities in educational attainment across member states, particularly between northern and southern Europe.

In countries such as Italy and Portugal, a majority of ICT-educated workers did not hold tertiary qualifications, with figures standing at 69.2 per cent and 58.8 per cent respectively.

In contrast, Cyprus’ high level of tertiary education among ICT professionals reflects a strong emphasis on skills development, which may support the island’s ambitions in the digital and technology sectors.

The findings come as the EU continues to prioritise digital transformation, with growing demand for skilled workers in areas such as software development, data analysis and cybersecurity.

However, the persistent gender gap and uneven distribution of skills across member states remain key challenges, particularly as the bloc seeks to build a more inclusive and competitive digital economy.