More time and energy needs to be spent on instilling a spirit of entrepreneurship in women so more will go on to run their own businesses or become contractors, it has been ventured.

Dr Shima Barakat of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning at University of Cambridge Judge Business School, said in a podcast that men and women process entrepreneurship education differently.

She said that Britain really needs to focus on how women entrepreneurs can be successfully trained, supported and plugged into networks and communities.

"They are, and have the skills to be, excellent networkers, and yet their access to networks is limited. We need to focus on the student and make sure they are trained and plugged into the appropriate networks," explained Dr Barakat.

This comes after Teresa Schofield, regional leader of the Global Marathon Europe, said that the number of women in senior jobs in the technical industry is actually declining and that technology should be seen as a viable industry for females to enter.