Annual Women in STEM campaign launched

Working with WISE Campaign, the Equality Challenge Unit, WES (the Women's Engineering Society) STEMNET, and a range of experts including AllAboutSchoolLeavers.co.uk, as well as former Formula racing driver Susie Wolff, the campaign aims to inspire the next generation in STEM and to learn more about gender equality in STEM industries.

Interviews include “Getting the balance right in the technology sector” from Angela Maurer, head of Tesco Laboratories, “Driven to succeed in a male-dominated industry” from Formula 1 driver Susie Wolff, and a range of academic as well as industry high-fliers, such as Benita Mehra, president of the Women’s Engineering Society.

Topics covered include flexible working, mentoring, encouraging young women into STEM, and the value of a diverse, balanced workforce.

“In terms of young women leaving school, the AllAboutSchoolLeavers database shows a real disparity in the STEM subjects they’re interested in pursuing,” said Emma Finamore, editor of AllAboutSchoolLeavers.co.uk, in her interview. “Science is the 6th most popular industry overall out of 24.

“Then there is a big gap until other STEM subjects: Engineering is 18th and IT & Technology 21st. Male school leavers place Engineering as their most popular industry out of 24, and all STEM subjects are in their Top 10. This is reflected when they leave school: men outnumber women by 25 to one on engineering apprenticeships, for example.

“The Royal Academy of Engineering says the UK needs 100,000 new graduates in STEM subjects every year until 2020 just to maintain current employment numbers. If we want women to have jobs in the future, more need to be encouraged into STEM when making career choices.”

Men outnumber women by 25 to one on engineering apprenticeships.

“Then there is a big gap until other STEM subjects: Engineering is 18th and IT & Technology 21st. Male school leavers place Engineering as their most popular industry out of 24, and all STEM subjects are in their Top 10. This is reflected when they leave school: men outnumber women by 25 to one on engineering apprenticeships, for example.

“The Royal Academy of Engineering says the UK needs 100,000 new graduates in STEM subjects every year until 2020 just to maintain current employment numbers. If we want women to have jobs in the future, more need to be encouraged into STEM when making career choices.”