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Women in STEM

NASA Astronaut, Peggy Whitson: “Real steps will be taken in a few years so, by studying maths, science, engineering or tech, you’re going to have a part in that.”

PHOTO: NASA

Representation, progression and success for all noc.ac.uk/women-noc

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IN THIS ISSUE

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riselda Togobo, Owner and Managing Director of professional women’s network, Forward Ladies, began her career as an electrical engineer. Unfortunately, she didn’t stay in the industry. “There aren’t a lot of women in the sector,” she says. “It’s not a female-friendly or inclusive environment, either. Sadly, I started thinking that I couldn’t achieve all I wanted to in my role and have a family life.” Togobo realises that this is probably not what aspiring female STEM students want to hear. “When I studied electrical engineering at

university, only 10 per cent of the class was female,” she remembers. “But that wasn’t a problem because we worked well together in our mixed gender teams and individual performance was based solely on results. I did not feel disadvantaged because I was a young girl studying engineering. “At work, however, the playing field is unfavourable to women with cultural biases and institutional barriers actively hindering the advancement of women. For example, in STEM sectors, women are still earning around £7,000 less than their male counterparts — and that is something that you feel

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Experts wanted We are looking for the next generation of infrastructure experts. Balfour Beatty creates the structures that underpin our daily lives. We need exceptional women to deliver our iconic projects – we think that could be you. Women play a vital role in our organisation – you can meet some of them here: https://www.balfourbeatty.com/ womeninengineering. You can also join our Inspiring Women network, bringing together like-minded people and offering support, training and inclusive events across our business. Whether you are a school leaver, student, undergraduate or graduate, we have the opportunities you need to build a bright future with us.

@balfourbeatty @balfourgraduate Balfour Beatty plc

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in your pocket.” Her advice to female would-be engineers, though, is, “get tough and take it on” — or nothing will change. “When you are a young woman in the industry you have to be tough to deal with the challenges of working in all male teams, and that can be diﬃcult,” she admits. “Now I could deal with it but back then, in my twenties, I felt I couldn’t. I simply didn’t have the tools or experience needed to challenge bias. So, you have to be confident and be prepared to fight if you are determined to make it to the top.” That is why we are working with women through our leadership

SCIENCE IS NOT A BOY’S GAME, IT’S NOT A GIRL’S GAME. IT’S EVERYONE’S GAME. IT’S ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE’RE GOING. Nichelle Nichols, NASA Ambassador

The University of Suffolk offers a range of STEM courses including Bioscience, Diagnostic Radiography, Nutrition and Human Health, Radiotherapy and Oncology, Regenerative Medicine and Sport and Exercise Science.

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thriving in a maleSTEM workplace programmes — to give them the tools and confidence to challenge unconscious bias.

Female mentors are crucial for future talent Good leadership is vital. In fact, it has a crucial role to play in shaping an i nclusive culture in STEM workplaces, says Togobo, with, for example, strong maternity/parental leave policies, flexible working practices etc. “If leaders champion women and promote people on merit, then this thinking will make its way down into management and recruitment practices. This means an organisation will try a little bit harder to find talented women for their graduate and apprenticeship programmes or promote female members of their team if they know they will be held accountable by their leaders.” Because, ultimately, the STEM sector, like all other sectors, needs to find the best talent, from new entrants right the way to the boardroom; it’s counter productive if it marginalises people because of their gender, especially as research also highlights the fact that diverse teams outperform homogeneous teams. Yet this problem starts at an early

age, which is why Togobo visits schools so that students — both male and female — can talk about career choices with a female role model. “Otherwise, we’re saying to young women: ‘Study STEM subjects so you can be an engineer! Oh, and by the way, we can’t find any female engineers to talk to you about it.’ That has to change.” Togobo is also a big advocate of industry mentorship. “Mentoring is crucial,” she says. “I’ve benefitted from different mentors at different stages of my career. It’s important to have a sounding board to challenge your thinking.” Relatable mentors can be especially inspirational for young women as proof that career progression is possible.

Females in STEM value male support Hearing female voices talk about this subject is all very well, says Togobo. But enlightened male advocates are needed too. “That’s because there are male leaders out there who want their sons and daughters to do well and have equal opportunities. These are the men we need to champion the cause.” These days, her advice to any

Griselda Togobo Managing Director, Forward Ladies

“Don’t rule yourself out. Think about what you want to achieve and go for it”

woman wanting to pursue a career in STEM is: ‘Don’t rule yourself out.’ “Think about what you want to achieve and go for it,” she says. “Yes it’s a male-dominated industry but don’t let that put you off, because it only takes one special person to make a change to the culture.” So how are we working to resolve this issue? I’m personally committed to supporting women working in STEM due to my personal experience of working in a male dominated sector. Here are just three of the initiatives we have to support employers and women working in STEM:

ver the years we have been O showcasing diverse credible female role models through the Forward Ladies National Awards Sponsored by HSBC. This year we have two STEM categories to showcase rising stars and inspirational role models within the STEM sector. Do you know any inspirational female role models in STEM? Nominate them!

e are also delighted to have W launched a six month STEM Inspired Leadership Programme in partnership with Yorkshire Water to support emerging leaders in STEM. These are the future leaders that can change the lack of female representation at the top. They are the inspiration for the next generation – invest in them!

e have launched a piece of W research – to hear from women and employers – that explores both sides of the issues contributing to the under-representation of women in STEM. How effective are the various STEM initiatives in attracting and retaining women in STEM? What is working and what’s not working? We want to showcase best practice and highlight the most effective diversity programmes. Get in touch and get involved.

Read more on womeninstem.co.uk

Do you know any female STEM role models? Nominate them for the Forward Ladies National Awards.

PHOTO: FORWARD LADIES

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INSPIRATION FACTS

“Real steps are going to be taken in a few years, so by studying math, science, engineering, any kind of technology (STEM) you’re going to have a part in that and that is very exciting.” Peggy Whitson NASA Astronaut

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Same problem, new solutions When employers talk about the lack of women in technology, it’s often raised in the context of the skills gap. “How can we fill the roles we have, if we can’t access half the population?” goes the argument.

The problem isn’t new, of course: looking back over the past decade, the numbers of women in the tech workforce has never pushed beyond a meagre 17 per cent. But dig a little deeper, and the debate becomes far broader: a diverse workforce is more open, more creative, more productive – and the people in it more engaged and excited by what they do. Employers in the digital world are problem solvers by nature. If the solutions they’ve tried before to improve the gender balance haven’t delivered, their instinct is to find new and better solutions. That’s why BT, HPE and Tata Consultancy Services collaborated through the Tech Partnership on My Tech Future – a project to help employers and teachers understand why girls shy away from a tech career and develop a range of improved interventions that will appeal more to them. We wanted to address the problem from a basis of knowledge. So we commissioned research specialists, Childwise, to consult with a wide range of individuals, including girls aged 9 to 18, parents, teachers and women in industry, to discover what can be done to make this industry more appealing to young women and help increase the number who choose to become involved in tech. We discovered that over half of girls enjoy their ICT lessons at primary school, but as they make the transition to secondary school, they

Karen Price CEO, Tech Partnership

“Parents, we found, often lack the knowledge to help.” quickly lose interest – often describing their lessons as boring, repetitive and out of date. Technology is still regarded by most of the women we spoke to as a ‘non-traditional career’, and so one of the challenges is to change the perception of parents and teachers themselves to start seeing tech as a mainstream career – which it may not have been when they were in their teens or first entering the job market. Parents, we found, often lack the knowledge to help. They appreciate that the range and diversity of career opportunities is far greater nowadays, but too many are simply unaware as to how their daughter’s strengths could translate into a modern tech career. It was especially illuminating to hear from women who work in tech careers today. In most cases, they had been guided initially by parents and teachers towards familiar and traditional choices – for example, accountancy, teaching and medicine and only at a later point, did they discover tech.

Two of the successful women in our study specifically referenced their fathers as the driving force behind their choices. The fact that dad knew his way around the industry gave these women a priceless insight, not just into the sort of work they could be doing, but also into how to get there: which firms to apply to, whether to choose an apprenticeship or a degree, how to navigate the application process. Given that we can’t find a parent-expert for every child, getting real-life role models into the classroom has to be a vitally important way of showing all young people that jobs in tech are achievable, and could be part of their decision set. If those role models are female, so much the better – just by their presence, women have a powerful effect in breaking down misconceptions. Younger role models can also be particularly effective: someone in his or her first job is more relatable for students than an older figure – even someone of thirty can seem remote to a GCSE class. Where to find these digital role models? Parents or older siblings are a natural resource – many schools actively request volunteers from within their immediate contact group. Local businesses are often keen to contribute: if schools contact their local tech companies, large or small, they are very likely to receive a warm response. Plus, a number of organisations – including Founders4Schools, Inspiring the Future and STEM Ambassadors - specialise in providing speakers and role models for schools. It’s often said that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’. Role models make sure that students can see - and they can make all the difference.

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COMMERCIAL FEATURE

How a year in industry can benefit undergraduates Taking a year out from university to work in industry might seem daunting — but the opportunities it presents are not to be missed says undergraduate engineer, Alex McLoughlin By Tony Greenway

After two years studying for her degree in Electronic and Communications Engineering at the University of Kent, undergraduate Alex McLoughlin has taken time out to spend a year in industry. It’s been exhilarating at times and daunting at others — but she’s loved it. “It’s really opened my eyes,” she says. “Now I can’t wait to get a job after I’ve finished at university.” Since July 2016, McLoughlin, 21, has been working for energy company E.ON and is currently Offshore Vessel Performance Co-ordinator, travelling to different offshore windfarms all around the country to gather and monitor technical data about the performance of crew transfer vessels. She’s done so well that her 12-month contract has been extended to mid-August; but, from September, she’ll be back at university to complete her final year.

Stepping up to the challenge McLoughlin was initially accepted onto the company’s Offshore Wind Performance Coordinator

Year in Industry scheme, which involved completing online tests, a telephone interview and an assessment day featuring different activities, role play situations and presentations. “Doing a year in industry is part of my degree, but the thought of entering the world of work still made me really nervous,” she admits. “I was worried that I’d be asked to do things that I wasn’t capable of; but, actually, it wasn’t like that at all. It was a very gradual process and the first month or so was spent learning about the company and offshore wind farms in general. After that I just got on with the job, and it all came quite naturally. I’ve attended conferences and meetings and I’ve learned a lot about how companies in the sector operate.” It has also changed McLoughlin’s preconceptions about engineering. “It’s not what I thought it would be like,” she says. “I’ve been doing more of a project management role than a technical role – although there are technical elements to it – which has involved a

Alex McLoughlin Offshore Wind Vessel Coordinator, E.ON

lot of organisation and planning. It’s given me a good foundation to go in any direction. I’d say that was one of the brilliant things about doing an engineering degree. It opens so many doors for you and gives you loads of opportunities.”

Be determined and openminded For anyone thinking of taking a year away from their degree to work in industry, McLoughlin has one message: do it. Bring bags of enthusiasm and determination with you though, because it

can be a challenging experience at times. “But don’t be scared of that because overcoming challenges is one of the most rewarding parts of the job,” she says. “And be open-minded. Solutions aren’t always obvious, so be prepared to think outside the box.” Working in a male-dominated environment has never been an issue for McLoughlin. “I knew full well what I was getting into because there are over 90 people on my course at university — and only five of us are women. But that’s never been a problem for me and I haven’t faced any discrimination. I’ve been fortunate enough to only receive positive responses about being a woman in engineering. And, anyway, I’ve always thought: ‘I can do engineering, too — so I’m going to.’”

Understanding the bigger picture For McLoughlin, the best thing about the past year has been finding out how a big company works, and taking the chance to travel and

meet lots of different people in different technical areas. “Building relationships has been a great part of the job,” she says. “I’ve been to Scotland, Germany and all over the UK, and that’s given me an overview of the kinds of roles available in this field. I’ve met so many different people who have taken different career paths and that’s helped me understand the bigger picture – something that wouldn’t have happened at university. It’s also helped me explore my opportunities without having to commit to a full career. I’ve now got time to reflect on things when I get back to my studies.” Ultimately, though, McLoughlin is eyeing the possibility of a career in the offshore wind industry. “I think it’s a fantastic industry — and certainly a very important one,” she says. “It’s the future.”

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Digital is the catalyst for bringing more women into tech

The tech sector is crying out for more women to be recruited to its ranks, says Tara McGeehan, Senior Vice President, Energy, Utilities and Telecoms of technology company, CGI UK By Tony Greenway

Why has the tech sector failed to attract more women over the last 10 years? The sector is very new: we’ve only been around for 30 or 40 years. Unfortunately, during that time, we’ve given ourselves the image of only being of interest to geeky young guys — which isn’t reflective of the kind of work we do. Also, until recently, the industry has been very ‘back office’: all mainframe computers and writing code. But that’s changing because the advent of digital has shown it to be creative, innovative and more in tune with our everyday lives. Until now, I think girls at school and college haven’t seen it as a particularly welcoming environment. What will happen to the sector if this trend continues?

Women are half the world: so if you reduce your available workforce, you’ll reduce your ability to work successfully. A mixed workforce comes up with more creative ideas and brings a better balance of personalities, so companies that do employ more women will probably be more successful. I don’t think encouraging more women into tech is an altruistic idea. I think it’s a common sense one. Here in the UK, CGI has been ranked as the number one Top Employer this year by the Top Employers Institute, and we are proud of our activities to recruit and support women.

What kind of challenges do women face in the tech workplace? Discrimination may be less of a problem in the tech industry because we’re new and don’t have

Tara McGeehan Senior Vice President, Energy, Utilities and Telecoms, CGI UK

quite so much ‘baggage’ as more established sectors. But anyone who is the only woman on the team will face challenges, simply because they’re in the minority. It might be the challenge of getting their voice heard, for example. The way we solve that, of course, is having more than one woman on the team...

What can employers do to increase gender diversity and get more women into leadership roles? By making sure you recruit a balanced team. So if you have graduates coming in, there’s no reason why half of them can’t be women — which then means you have a larger pool to pick from when it comes to promotion. Also, some employers lose women for family reasons: they have children and career breaks; and if they are not welcomed back, they will move on. Mechanisms such as mentoring and retraining are important for women who have been on maternity leave and CGI invests heavily in this area. We should also be more flexible when it comes to where people work and how they work.

Are you hopeful that more women will see the value of a career in technology in future? I am. I think the digital age will help turn things around. Digital makes the sector seem a lot less ‘techy’, more relatable, and it offers more opportunities to women. It’ll be the catalyst for bringing more females into the sector. I’d say to any young women thinking about a career in tech: don’t be discouraged by preconceived ideas of what it’s about and get involved.We’re desperate for more women to be in our sector.

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INSPIRATION

PHOTOCREDIT: NASA

QuynhGiao Nguyen: ”Chemistry was a challenging subject for me — so I put myself right dab in the middle of it.”

Meet the NASA scientists who are reaching for the stars By Tony Greenway

Working for NASA is a voyage into an exciting and challenging new career frontier, says Lizalyn Smith, Aerospace Engineer, and QuynhGiao Nguyen, Materials Scientist.

What does your role entail at NASA — and what is the best thing about your work? Lizalyn: I work on the design and analysis of the Orion spacecraft, which is due to launch in 2019. I’m a structural analyst, running different simulations to see how the vehicle will respond under certain conditions. It’s a unique experience. Every day brings a new challenge, so it’s very exciting to come to work. QuynhGiao: For the first 17 years of my career I was in the lab researching how state-of-the-art materials react under high temperatures. Now I’m a project manager in the high temperature materials field, networking with a diverse range of experts who can help us accomplish

the goals we have set ourselves. I really enjoy the people interaction aspect of my work.

Did you always want to have career in science? Lizalyn: I loved math and science when I was a kid, and always liked figuring out how things worked, but it wasn’t until I was 14 that I learned what engineers do. I was in the cafeteria at school and saw a teacher walking around asking if anyone wanted to join a free engineering programme. She explained that an engineer designs products for people to use. That’s when my interest was piqued — and when I realised that I could put my math and science skills to good use. QuynhGiao: When I came to the U.S. from Vietnam, I was seven and couldn’t speak a word of English. But I was always very driven because I was told that America was the country where you could accomplish anything, so I fed into that idea and took whatever

opportunities came my way. I always thrive on taking the hardest route. For example, chemistry was a challenging subject for me — so I put myself right dab in the middle of it. I went on to get my Masters and Ph.D. in chemistry.

How did you become part of NASA — and how easy has it been for you to progress up the career ladder? Lizalyn: When I was in graduate school, I was presented with an opportunity to do an internship with NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia. Then, later, when NASA came to recruit at my campus, I put myself forward and was offered a position. That was 13 years ago. I’m still quite young compared to many of my colleagues; but I think career progression is relatively easy, as long as you’re prepared to step out of your comfort zone and operate at your fullest potential. QuynhGiao: I started an internship at NASA when I was 19 and fell in

love with the environment, the type of work we do here — and the people. There are challenges with every career progression. I overcome them by always focussing on the task at hand and going above and beyond when an opportunity presents itself. I have faith that the rest will follow if I’m passionate about what I do.

What challenges and stereotypes had you had to overcome? Lizalyn: It’s a male-dominated environment: in my branch there are three women out of 20 or so people. But you get accustomed to that disproportion early on at college. It can also be a challenge for women to overcome prejudices because you don’t look like the ‘typical’ engineer. The way you defeat that is to do your best, and make sure your work is of equal or greater quality than your colleagues. QuynhGiao: Being a woman in a male-dominated world. Early in my career — I was probably 27 — a

colleague said to me: ‘You’re fulfiling a double quota for NASA: you’re a minority — and you’re female.’ That was harsh and heart-wrenching. We leave fingerprints on each others lives every day, so I’m mindful of how I speak to people — but now I try not to internalise things too much. And I always remember that if I’m not successful at something, there’s always tomorrow.

What advice would you have for any young woman wanting to find success in a STEM field? Lizalyn: Have perseverance and determination. Don’t let setbacks deter you. They are inevitable in engineering — and in life in general. QuynhGiao: If this is really the passion you want to pursue, then pursue it without limitation or hesitation. Put your heart and soul into it and break the stereotype. Read more on womeninstem.co.uk

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Top 10 tips: getting a first class post in the STEM sector What are the best ways for women to get ahead in STEM careers? Cathy Way and Dharmini Chauhan — two senior women from Royal Mail — give us their thoughts By Tony Greenway

Edinburgh-based Cathy has been with Royal Mail for almost 32 years. For the past year, she’s been leading the company’s operational design team to ensure the smooth, day-to-day running of the Royal Mail network.

Cathy Way Head of Logistics and Network Design

Don’t limit your options The STEM industries are changing. For example, businesses like ours are making a real effort to be inclusive when it comes to gender, age, culture, background, sexuality, etc, because we value the input and insight of a diverse workforce. When it comes to recruitment, we want to appeal to a wide audience, particularly women and black and minority ethnic (BAME) candiLondon-based, Dharmini, has been with Royal Mail for seven years. She leads a team that optimises the technical operations of customer-facing parts of Royal Mail — including call centres, sales, and marketing.

Dharmini Chauhan IT Director for Channels and Customer Experience

Get logical — and hands on If you have maths, science and/ or IT qualifications, that’s great: they’ll help you understand the tech landscape. But are you good at reasoning? Can you break down problems and convey technical gobbledegook in plain English? Those are the skills that will stand you in really good stead in Kathryn is responsible for the business strategy on all diversity and inclusion initiatives, developing an inclusive workplace within a complex unionised environment.

Kathryn O’Shea Head of Diversity and Inclusion

Committed to a diverse workforce “Royal Mail is delighted to be sponsoring the Women in STEM campaign. At Royal Mail, we are committed to attracting and employing a diverse workforce and as a large employer we are keen to ensure that our work environment is one that nurtures diversity – diversity of thought, expe-

dates in order to tell them about the roles we have and ensure they know they can apply for them, too. So don’t limit your options, if you are interested in an industry or organisation, apply for jobs or development opportunities.

Seize an opportunity There are more opportunities available in the workplace than ever before. Make the most of them! For example, job shares mean that women can balance their home and work life while progressing into management and beyond. Also, create an active development plan so you understand your career aims and objectives. this sector. Also, get some hands on exposure to coding and testing solutions, because it’ll give you an appreciation of the work — and change your perception of it.

Drop the tech-speak! It can be easy to feel excluded within the tech community. When I was starting out, most of my colleagues — who tended to be male — developed a technical language that was hard to penetrate. As a result, the work seemed more complex than it really was. If you are coaching or mentoring others, explain things in simple terms, it makes tech a more engaging, inrience and skills. We believe an inclusive workplace is the foundation to enabling our people to thrive.

Recruiting and retaining females “We recognise that we still have a long way to go, particularly in relation to gender diversity but we are working to build the infrastructure we need to support and develop our female employees. Recruiting and retaining female employees, particularly in engineering and technical roles, is key to driving our diversity strategy forward.

Believe in yourself If you’re confident and willing to demonstrate your knowledge and experience, then that speaks volumes for you as a person. If you can, always ask a question at meetings or presentations – either one you prepared beforehand or in response to key points being made. Be proactive Many women tend to think they have to be great at everything before they put themselves forward for promotion or step outside their comfort zones. For example, if you’re not comfortable with presenting to large groups, such as running a team meeting, then volving, accessible and attractive sector.

Don’t be constrained It was never my intention to be a super-duper coder. I wanted to dabble in it but I also wanted to get experience of other things so I could go into a broader role. So, always consider the options in front of you — and don’t get painted into a corner.

coaching and preparation will help. However, there is a school of thought that believes you just need to get on and do it... and, actually, who knows? You might find that you quite enjoy it.

Know how to build a network Networking can be time-consuming, so the key to doing it effectively is to understand what you want to achieve. How and who could help you and what could you offer them in return? Once you know that, you can start to look for the right sort of people to network with, both inside and outside of the company. say they want to be the Finance Director or the CIO. Ask a woman and she’ll say: ‘I’m not sure.’ That has to change. Don’t wait for someone to recognise your talents. Think about where you want to be — and put yourself forward.

Think ahead Men forever seem to be planning their next career move, even if they haven’t been in their current role for long. Ask a man where they see themselves in five years and they’ll

Persevere! When you do something that’s difficult for the first time — such as coding or testing — you may want to run away from it. But ask questions and stick with it because that moment of epiphany will come. It won’t happen on day one or day two but the penny will drop eventually.

Overcoming obstacles The Gender Steering Group is helping the business to identify and overcome the obstacles faced by our female employees. In the coming few years we intend to invest significant efforts in creating the structures and processes we need to enable women to progress and develop their careers. From attraction, on-boarding and induction

through to development and succession opportunities, we are committed to building supportive communities and networks for our female employees. By utilising senior sponsorship, coaching and mentoring as well as regional learning and networking activities we are working to create an environment in which our female colleagues can flourish and prosper.”

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INSPIRATION

COLUMN

Dame Judith Hackitt Chair, EEF

“Why is everything ‘for girls’ pink?” In STEM, only 25 per cent of the UK’s graduates and 21 percent of its workforce are female*. British engineer Dame Judith Hackitt identifies some of the factors at play.

“I’m not saying ‘we need more women in STEM’. What we need is greater diversity of thinking, and the pooling of our best creative and scientific ideas to find the best solutions,” stresses Dame Judith, Chair of the manufacturing body EEF. “Science and engineering is a very social world to get into; it’s about solving the problems of the future. It’s highly collaborative, digital, high-tech, and there’s no reason why girls can’t do it – some truly inspirational women already are doing it. These are the messages we need to get across. We need to change the way we talk about ourselves in STEM.”

Too much gender talk? Though talented boys can also be put off by the narrative around science being only for ‘nerdy’ types, she says it can be particularly damaging to young teenage girls making subject choices at an age when they want to be accepted. “Being nerdy can mean being ostracised. I know what that feels like, I was seen as weird at that age. Even well into my career, I needed all my self-confidence to handle some situations with humour – it’s not helpful to get on a high horse about sexism.” The “unconscious collusion” can start early: Dame Judith references an eminent British physicist criticising toy brick-maker Lego recently for new gender-specific products. “I was given Lego by my father for my fourth birthday. It became my favourite toy, it wasn’t gender specific. Why is everything ‘for girls’ pink? It’s much worse than it was.”

Less categorisation, more exploration There’s a danger in ramming the gender imbalance down people’s throats, as that can contribute to making girls suspicious and disengaged, she says. The less subjects are categorised in schools, the better, while parents can be on the lookout for unconscious stereotyping in themselves. “It’s not about de-feminising girls, but we need balance. All too often we see boys and girls sent down different pathways. Our children need to be allowed to explore for themselves. Part of the problem in the UK is that we force kids to specialise so early in their education, closing off opportunities. Lots of men say they’ve changed their views on that when they’ve had daughters and seen how intelligent girls can be turned off certain subjects at an early age.” More diverse courses, apprenticeships and returnships are exciting ways forward, says Dame Judith. “We’ve got some of the best scientific and creative talent in the world. It’s crucial to enhance that with an effective system of flexibility and diversity.” *Source: https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/resources/tag/statistics

Read more on wisecampaign.org.uk/resources/tag/statistics

We need more young women to think: ‘Wow! That’s the job for me’ By Tony Greenway

Schools need to present science jobs to young women as exciting and well-paid — and companies in the sector have to up their game when it comes to encouraging female applicants.

Things have changed in the STEM industries since Benita Mehra got her degree 25 years ago. And not necessarily for the better. “The numbers of women entering the technology sector have reduced since the 1970s and 1980s,” she says. “And in engineering – my own sector – the numbers of female entrants remain at similar levels. So I wouldn’t say we’re making headway as far as gender diversity is concerned... which is shocking, actually.” It makes Mehra – President of The Women’s Engineering Society – wonder what on earth is going wrong. She has her own theories. “Progressive schools do encourage engineering and science as a career option,” she says. “And that’s great. However, schools also want to be seen to get good results, so, if a pupil is borderline at science and not expected to achieve an A or B grade, they may be pushed into taking another subject at A Level.” That can effectively end any STEM ambitions they may have.

Understanding opportunities Mehra also thinks that women and girls find it difficult to understand what a career in engineering entails because it’s a sector that is changing all the time and if they do not have a family member in the profession, how do young people who what is on offer? “Many automatically assume that it means wearing a hard hat,” she says. “But the opportunities are infinite. Engineering impacts us socially and examples include the development of prosthetic limbs for people, or creating technology to limit the environmental impact of climate change, or creating smart cities with integrated transport systems, and carbon neutral industries through the development of electric cars and lighting and heating of towns using renewable energy.” To reverse this trend, Mehra thinks the problem has to be looked at from a

Benita Mehra President, Women’s Engineering Society

different perspective. “We need to consider engineering in a regional way,” she says. “Take Cumbria, for example, which is known for its nuclear industry. We have to engage with SMEs and get them to share what they are doing by bringing greater visibility to their sector. Schools and pupils will then consciously think of nuclear engineering as a viable career option either directly for a large organisation or by working for niche organisations. We are all appreciative of the science centres dotted around around the country. They visibly promote STEM sectors but they all need to find ways of collaborating with their local businesses who operate in the STEM sectors as this will nudge and enable a spark when engaging their many visitors.”

Busting myths and stereotypes Engagement really does work. For example, Mehra cites the ‘Tim Peake: astronaut’ effect as evidence that girls — and boys — can be personally invested in science if it’s presented to them in an engrossing way. “When Tim went into space, children everywhere were mesmerised by him and what he was doing. And the way the (female) Project Director of Crossrail talks is so inspiring she makes young people think: ‘Wow! That’s the job for me.’” Myths need to be busted, too. For example, young people — and their families — might think that engineering isn’t a particularly well-paid profession, when it can be. Parents need

to understand the possibilities the industry can offer their daughters, particularly if they have no knowledge or experience of it themselves. Plus, employers and recruiters have to stop subtly dissuading young women to apply for engineering jobs through the words and images they use on adverts and websites. “If women feel they don’t have at least 80 per cent of the attributes needed for a particular job, they will discount themselves, whereas men will ‘have a go’ anyway,” says Mehra. “And many women who do get through to face a recruitment panel start to distance themselves from the role because they feel the cards are stacked against them.”

Apprenticeships v university University is one way to enter the profession but apprenticeships are increasing in popularity. They are, after all, an opportunity to learn skills on the job, be paid a salary and emerge debt free at the other end. “The problem is, we need more parents of A* students to encourage their children to take the apprenticeship route,” says Mehra. “Organisations tell me that people who come through at apprenticeship level are more malleable, more keen to learn and more hungry for success.” The engineering sector doesn’t just need to recruit more women, says Mehra. It also needs to retain the ones it has by, for example, nurturing those who are returning having taken time out. “Organisations also have to think seriously about women who have carer’s responsibilities,” she points out. “That might mean restructuring a role so that it can be done by job share, so this reduces the risk of knowledge being lost when someone leaves as the job has two creative people instead of one. The other problem women have, is with forging networks and personal relationships if they are out of the office a lot. Returners’ programmes can be valuable in this area, however, if social events occur after hours alone this can hinder women. Another option is to offer networking during work time.”

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Unconcious bias — and how to avoid it Numbers of women in STEM are increasing, but more are needed — particularly in leadership positions. Unconcious bias training and women in leadership programmes can help By Tony Greenway

Diversity isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’, insists Maria Ferraro, Chief Financial Officer, Siemens UK. It’s a musthave. Even so, she notes with incredulity that certain STEM areas are still male-dominated. “More needs to be done to attract women into STEM roles. We make up 50 per cent of the market, after all. So if you’re a company that doesn’t tap into that 50 per cent, then shame on you.” Not that many of them are doing so deliberately. Unconscious bias is partly to blame. “I don’t think exclusion is done maliciously,” says Ferraro. “It’s just that, as an employer, you could be picking someone who looks like you, who went to the same school as you, and who had the same training as you. Therefore — unconsciously — female numbers haven’t increased as quickly as they should.” To counter this, Ferraro notes that “anyone

who manages anyone” should receive unconscious bias training in order to highlight the issue.

girls’ heads and the looks that say: ‘We can do this!’”

Leadership training programmes

Promoting the message in schools Yet in many ways things have changed for the better. It’s now part of Ferraro’s job to ensure that things continue in that direction, and that diverse candidates are continually brought into the company. “It’s not a quick fix,” she says. “We have to build confidence in young girls and women to show them that they can be part of this sector. It’s really important to me that every person — regardless of their gender, race and culture — feels included and that they have an equal opportunity to succeed.” That’s not easy because stereotypes are planted early, says Ferraro (who points out that she is an example of “the M in STEM”).

Maria Ferraro Chief Financial Officer, SIEMENS UK

Which is why she believes it’s so important to take the ‘women can do STEM’ message directly into schools, and why her company has created a project which does just that, targeting girls between 10 and 14. “We do this in partnership with BBC science presenter Fran Scott who presents an interactive display. Towards the end, you can see the lightbulbs going on over the

Getting female talent into the industry is only half the story, however. Making sure they rise up the ranks is also key with the support of women in leadership training programmes. “We have to equip women with practical leadership tools so that they can navigate into senior positions,” says Ferraro. “That often simply comes down to helping them unlock a belief in themselves.” Still, wherever women are on the STEM career ladder, they can be supported with company schemes such as flexible working, for example. Ferraro is adamant that job flexibility isn’t just a ‘female only’ topic, however. “Partners co-parent, or have to look after elderly

parents, and so divide up the caring duties,” she says. “This discussion always focuses on women wanting flexibility; but for every few women who ask me about it, a man will ask about it too.” So what’s Ferraro’s message to any woman who says that it’s difficult or even impossible to rise to a senior STEM position? “That is absolutely untrue. You make of it what you can and companies will allow opportunities to come to fruition for you. Don’t let the stereotypes ruin the experience for you because if you want a career in this industry then you can have it.” Read more on siemens.co.uk/careers

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Driving forward with a vehicle engineering apprenticeship

Mary Tappenden has turned her passion for engineering into an apprenticeship at Mercedes-Benz. It’s a hands-on role that, she says, opens up a variety of future career opportunities By Tony Greenway

Mary Tappenden has always loved taking engines apart and then putting them back together. “I started working on motorbikes with my dad from a young age,” she remembers. “I thought it was so exciting to build a bike out of a pile of scrap and get it up and running. I still work on them in my spare time.” Plainly, mechanics has been Tappenden’s hobby and passion. Now, though, it’s her job. For the last two years she’s been working as a Heavy Vehicle Apprentice Technician at MercedesBenz dealership, Sparshatts of Kent. After choosing science subjects at school and completing a two-year Extended National Diploma in Engineering at college, Tappenden now learns her trade both hands-on in the workshop and on block release at the Mercedes-Benz

Apprentice Academy in Milton Keynes. At Sparshatts, her day-today role includes everything from inspections and services of heavy vehicles to more complex diagnostic and maintenance work.

Diversity “Although I’m the only female engineer in the dealership,” says Tappenden, 20, “I’m respected by all my colleagues. Occasionally there are customers who are surprised to see me working on their vehicle. But I just get on with it. This is what I love doing and what I want to do.” Tappenden believes more women are needed in engineering careers to ensure diversity in the workplace. “Things are changing, but more needs to be done,” she says. “Managers need to have the confidence to employ

Mary Tappenden Apprentice, Mercedes-Benz

women in mechanical engineering roles if they have the right qualities and skills.”

Applications Tappenden has taken part in Mercedes-Benz outreach programmes in schools and careers fairs and has met many young women who want to know more

about a career in engineering. Even so, she thinks schools need to demystify the subject so that students really understand what ‘engineering’ means. It is, after all, a wide term, encompassing everything from automotive engineering and civil engineering, to computer and aerospace engineering and beyond. That means introducing young people — male and female — to the subject at an early age, and explaining its different applications. “For example, mechanical comprehension or electrical engineering could play a part in science lessons,” she says.

Tappenden. “I’m learning on the job and getting real life experience which is great, because some things can’t be taught with a textbook. After I’m qualified next year, the training doesn’t stop and I’ll be continuously building up my knowledge. I’d like to move up the ladder into full maintenance and diagnostics, and then, hopefully, become a technical specialist. From there I could move into managerial roles. But for the time being I’m quite content with getting my hands dirty.”

Opportunities “Doing my apprenticeship means I get my qualification and earn money at the same time,” says

Read more on mercedes-benztraining. co.uk/apprenticeships

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Top Tips for getting a job in STEM 1) STEM includes a diverse set of industries. How can graduates and students ensure they are making the right career choice or taking the right career path? Only you can determine what the right career path is for you. Do plenty of research and assess whether you would be happy with the available roles, salaries, progressions, and so on. With all that information in hand, you should be able to make your decision.

2) What attributes do you need for a career in STEM? A genuine interest in your chosen STEM subject is, of course, key; if you enjoy your job you are more likely to be great at it. STEM roles often include problem solving and plenty of creativity so if you enjoy a good challenge it could be the perfect career choice for you.

3) How important are ’soft skills’ (i.e time management, good communication, teamwork) to STEM employers? Will they want evidence that candidates have these? What’s the best way for graduates to acquire them? Soft skills are crucial to candidates in any industry, not just STEM. Employers have many ways of assessing candidates’ skill sets and you may not even realise they are doing it. Different interview questions and tasks are designed to show certain skills and will ensure that the employer knows you have the right skills for the job.

5) What can graduates who are interested in STEM do to make themselves more employable?

Francesca Parkinson Head of Marketing, Milkround

“Work experience is very important to most employers” You probably already have plenty of soft skills, particularly teamwork, interpersonal skills, and problem solving, as you will naturally have been utilising them throughout your life. Make sure to think of a few situations where you have used a certain soft skill and have them prepared to relay at an interview.

4) Do you have any tips for presenting a written application in the best way to a STEM employer? Your application is most likely the very first impression a STEM employer will have of you – make sure it is a good one. Ensure it is relevant to the role you are applying for, outline the ways you would be a unique and valuable employee, and remember that there are no excuses for spelling errors or grammar mistakes.

Make sure you tick all the boxes. Look at job adverts and specifications for the type of role you are hoping to secure and see whether you fit the profile. If you do, great! Now you need to stand out from the crowd of applicants. Extra-curricular activities during your time at university, such as joining a society, will help with this. If they do not strictly align with STEM, there is always a way to present them in a useful light; for example to highlight the soft skills it allowed you to develop and how you can use them in your STEM role. Make the most of your time by getting work experience as this is very important to most employers. Again, if your temporary job does not appear to have much in common with the STEM industry, draw all the parallels you can and emphasise that you are a hard worker.

6) What general advice would you give to anyone considering a STEM career? The STEM sector is growing rapidly and offers plenty of exciting opportunities. There is a multitude of roles available and it shows no signs of diminishing, and graduate starting salaries tend to be excellent. It is also not all working in a lab or writing code; STEM jobs are cropping up in all industries and develop constantly. By being part of the STEM industry you are actively improving the world around you and influencing the future.

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Why I recommend that girls get a career in engineering Sophie Russell was one of only a few women who studied engineering at her university. She didn’t let that inequality faze her – and now she’s a Design Engineer at ScottishPower. I’m so pleased I did my degree because I can thoroughly recommend a career in engineering. It’s not a mundane job. It’s an industry where you come to work, do something different every single day and have to constantly innovate. I work in design on housing sites and big city centre developments, so I need commercial awareness because I’m dealing with developers all the time. I also need to be on top of costs because I have to quote for the work I do. I love coming to

work - and that’s not something many people can say. I think it’s great to work in an industry which provides vital services. The world wouldn’t keep turning without electricity - so what I do is important. It’s also an ever-changing, fast-paced industry and it’s exciting to be a part of that. Not many young women recognise the opportunities this sector can provide. For example, the pay, career progression and training is really good. To work in this indus-

“It’s an industry where you come to work, do something different every single day and have to constantly innovate.” Sophie Russell Design Engineer with ScottishPower

try you need to enjoy learning because it’s so fast-moving. But the main things you’ll need, I think, are a positive outlook, a love of prob-

lem-solving - and a desire to change the world.

To ﬁnd out more about jobs like Sophie’s visit talentsourcenetwork.co.uk. Talent Source Network brings together over 20 employers offering a range of career opportunities in the energy and utilities sector.

School of Science & Engineering

At Teesside University we put students at the heart of everything we do. Our graduates are working all over the world for companies such as Aston Martin, Johnson Matthey, United States Air Force Research Lab, Vodafone, Microsoft, Fujifilm, the NHS and Rolls-Royce. The majority of our research work is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent with strong, real-world impact – and we’re investing more. We offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and degree apprenticeships in a wide range of science and engineering subjects..

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> Health sciences

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INSPIRATION

PHOTO CREDIT: STEMMETES

Troublingly, even young girls conform to the stereotype that science is ‘only for boys’.

How we can encourage more young women into STEM careers By Tony Greenway

If the STEM industries are to recruit more women, then girls as young as five need to know that it’s a viable – and fun – career option for them, says a leading female social entrepreneur.

When she was studying maths and computer science at university, it didn’t dawn on Anne-Marie Imafidon that she was in the minority. But, looking back, she was: of the 70 people on her course, only three were women. “I didn’t have my epiphany until much later,” admits Imafidon. “I only really noticed the gender disparity when I started working in the tech industry and was sent to the States to attend a women in technology conference. I was sitting there with 3,500 people who were exactly like me and realised we were all in a minority — and a shrinking one at that, because the numbers of women in the industry were in freefall at that time.”

Challenging stereotypes Ultimately, this was the moment that led Imafidon to co-found a

social enterprise called Stemettes, which, for the last four years, has been working across the UK and Ireland to inspire and support girls and young women (from the ages of 5 to 21) into science, technology, engineering and maths. “There’s a perception problem with STEM,” she says. “It’s not ‘the social norm’ for girls and women to participate in it; so, we want to challenge that view and change things so that it’s completely normal to be a female in, say, tech or engineering. Our aim is to create opportunities for girls and young women to learn about the options they have in STEM and let them see the sector up close. We need to say to young women that even if society, your parents, TV shows or movies say you’re somehow ‘strange’ for getting involved in science and technology, here’s a safe space for you — and one that will help you realise your true potential.”

Changing perceptions Troublingly, even young girls conform to the stereotype that science is ‘only for boys’. “There was a report out earlier in the year which

Anne-Marie Imafidon Co-founder, Stemettes

noted that children as young as six believe boys are ‘smarter’ than girls,” says Imafidon. “And, unfortunately, there’s a myth that you have to be a genius to get involved with STEM. But if you look at GCSE, A-Level and university scores, girls outperform boys in STEM subjects — when they choose to do them. So, we have to increase their desire to pursue those options.” Taking girls out of a classroom setting and placing them in an informal STEM environment is a good way of showing young women the reality of

the STEM industries, says Imafidon. “They get to see it and breathe it. Our focus isn’t on STEM learning and knowledge acquisition, however; it’s on changing perceptions, increasing awareness, expanding their network and boosting their confidence, which has a positive knock-on impact on their general confidence as a human being.” It’s also about getting their attention with cool technology, such as the Internet of Things, driverless cars and dancing robots to show them that science can be fun.

Meeting women in the industry Plus, girls get to meet women in STEM careers, says Imafidon. “Luckily, there’s no shortage of women in the industry who want to meet and talk to their 10-yearold selves. So, girls could be meeting CEOs of big tech companies, women who are working on DNA sequencing projects, or someone just starting their career at Rolls Royce. When they talk to them they find that they’re very similar: they like the same things and they’re from the same backgrounds. It’s not just the Dame Wendy Halls or the

Martha Lane Foxes who are the superstars of the industry. It’s important that girls have access to a diverse range of women across the STEM industry and academia.” To ensure that women can be proportionally represented in the STEM field, various things need to change, says Imafidon. “First, we need balanced recruitment panels, and companies need to ensure they are interviewing at least one woman for every role. Then, when women are in the workplace, companies need to keep them there — so they have to be listened to. It’s not just granting women flexible working, either; it’s giving them positions of responsibility and credit for the ideas and views they bring to the table. Finally, bad behaviour — such as cyber bullying — needs to be punished. Granted all of this isn’t easy, because it’s not about changing policy. It’s about changing hearts and minds.”

Read more on womeninstem.co.uk

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Role models at the core of STEM Amanda Knowledge Engineer, AWE

Amanda, a Knowledge Engineer at AWE, talks about how she followed her passion and interests, broke down stereotypes and found an exciting career in STEM. I always had an enquiring mind as a child. My father had a range of interests and I naturally developed a curiosity for them too; cars, trains, aircraft, astronomy and art. He was also an engineer, having trained as a machinist and toolmaker. After leaving sixth form college with four A Levels, my interest in cars first led me to the motor industry and then to motor sport. However, this was at a time when a woman making a technical career in a perceived ‘men only’ environment was as good as non-existent! I moved into hands-on, scientific research in the dairy industry and, as a mature student, began a self-funded, part-time degree in physics at University College London. On the strength of my studies alone, I was offered

a role at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) – the UK’s national measurement standards laboratory - in London, where I spent 10 years in various research and measurement areas including engineering metrology and nuclear material physics. After I was made redundant, I applied to AWE and have worked here for five years. I work with the Warhead Knowledge Team in Engineering Capability. Using my knowledge of physics and engineering, I scope, review, collate, summarise and publish web-based products to ensure that AWE can retain, maintain and develop its capability to deliver warhead systems and maintain Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD). Part of my role also includes delivering tours of the Educational Collection. I have also been provisionally marked for a parttime secondment in metallurgy. The most enjoyable part of my role is being able to access a very broad base of people and nuclear deterrent knowledge. There aren’t many roles at AWE where you get to acquire such a diverse range of technical information. The best thing about my job is expressing science and engineering in a creative way. People don’t usually consider science or engineering as being related to anything artistic. Unfortunately there are still so few females in the STEM industry. Regrettably, gender-stereotyping

of girls and boys begins from the moment they are born. Research shows that children left to their own preferences (uninfluenced by adults), will result in them choosing toys or activities they find interesting, and which stimulate their mind and creativity. Gender barriers will only be broken down if children are encouraged in what they find interesting, without the influence of gender-stereotyping. Parents, therefore, also need to be educated to avoid pushing children into the perceived gender-moulds of ‘girls do this’ and ‘boys do that’. The advice I would give to women who want a career in STEM would be to ‘Be Yourself’. Don’t let anyone (parents, friends, peers, teachers, etc.) put you off or try to steer you away from doing anything technical or scientific if that’s what interests you. Peer pressure is at its worst from the ages of 11 to 16, but your career choice is going to be long term, so stick with what YOU enjoy, and DON’T follow the herd!

Rebecca Mechanical Engineer, AWE

Rebecca, a Mechanical Engineer at AWE, talks about ignoring the misconceptions of engineering and the importance of diversity and inclusion within in STEM industries. I joined the graduate programme at AWE two and a half years ago following a masters in Mechanical Engineering. During the graduate programme I moved around the organisation doing placements in Systems, Non-Destructive Testing, Surety and a secondment at the Foreign Office. I liked having the chance to find out about each area and what kind of work I enjoyed before deciding what to do permanently. I have now settled in the Surety team, doing research and development. The thing I enjoy most about my job is the practical aspect. I often spend time in the lab as well as time doing design work on a computer using CAD (Computer Aided

Design). I also enjoy the quick pace of research and development. The best thing about my job is the uniqueness of the work I’m doing and the great team I work with. International Women in Engineering Day highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion within in STEM industries. I think the perception of engineering needs to change. A lot of people in the UK think engineering is just a guy under a car covered in oil! Not a lot of people know that engineering is a massive field, covering civil, electronic, mechanical, electrical, and chemical. I think the problem is parents aren’t aware what engineering is and so can’t sell it as a career to their children. Another issue is the perceived thinking that maths and physics is a boy’s subject and it isn’t cool for girls to be good at it – although exam scores disagree with this! The advice I’d give to someone keen on a career in STEM would be to ignore the misconceptions of anyone around you who thinks engineering isn’t appropriate for females. Rise above them and know you’ll be going into a career that benefits society and helps people. Also remember that even if you go to university and study engineering it isn’t a life commitment to then work as an engineer. An engineering degree opens a lot of doors for various careers. This means that, as a society, we’ll be more educated.

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RESEARCH

Only

In 2015 women made up

14.4%

15%

50,000

of the UK STEM workforce… with an increase of

of all women believe women and men enjoy equal pay in STEM careers, while just

more female students are needed to achieve an even gender split within engineering courses.

15%

between 2014 and 2015

50%

believe over women struggle to earn as much as men.

employers often struggle to attract women into STEM positions to achieve their diversity targets

A third of

23%

women believe females are put off careers in STEM, as they perceive them to be male dominated.

fewer females than males feel employers influenced their choice to study STEM.

of female school leavers believe males receive more support in choosing a STEM career than females

Source: MILKROUND SMRS

MY TECH FUTURE RESEARCH*:

TEN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SCHOOLS

1. 2. 3. 4.

Remind girls that tech is everywhere – talk about how tech impacts every area of life, and that whether they’re interested in law or logistics, farming or pharmacy, tech plays a part in all these things. Talk about supply and demand – many careers that young women stereotypically aspire to are over supplied; this means either that entry is very competitive, or that salaries are lower. There are genuine skills shortages in tech, and it’s a growing sector, so good opportunities for secure, well paid roles abound. Frame the skills requirements carefully – tech doesn’t have to be highly technical; while there’s certainly a bright future for the maths whiz or programming superstar, interpersonal and managerial skills - where many girls feel more confident – are in high demand in digital roles. Show them role models – and not necessarily the high fliers like Sheryl Sandberg or Marisa Meyer. Women who are starting out in tech, or building interesting careers with local employers, can seem closer to home and be very motivating.

5. 6. 7.

Focus on outcomes – tech is a driving force in combatting climate change, improving lives in the developing world, fighting disease and giving access to education. Putting the emphasis on these positive outcomes, rather than the technology, can help girls in particular stay engaged. Work with employers – local employers are enthusiastic about showing what they have to offer and can provide inspirational speakers. The TechFuture Ambassador programme draws on a cross UK network of 1,200 volunteers from industry who visit schools to impart their skills and inspire young people to think about a career in tech. Keep tech real in the classroom – in computer science lessons, this could be via projects such as the employer-led resources on TechFuture Classroom. They are all fully mapped to the curriculum, and teach valuable skills through real life business challenges. Where possible, incorporate tech into other areas of the curriculum too.

8. 9.

Offer a range of routes to a tech career – girls who are university-bound might be interested in the employer-backed degrees, such as IT Management for Business and Software Development for Business. Accredited by the Tech Partnership, both these degrees have excellent outcomes in terms of both employment and academic results. Those who want to go straight into the world of work will find apprenticeships a stimulating alternative – and these days, this can include a full, debt-free honours degree. Don’t forget the parents – parents may not know much about tech, but they’re likely to be keenly interested in worthwhile, well remunerated jobs for their daughters. Make sure they’ve got the info they need to offer well informed guidance.

10.

Get out and about – nothing is more powerful than seeing the environments real people work in, and practising IT professionals provide powerful role models. Perhaps visit a tech festival or a science museum to support what you’re teaching in the classroom.

* My Tech Future research report, Tech Partnership in association with Childwise, 2016, investigating girls’ attitudes towards technology and the interventions that will make a difference to their career decisions

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WOMENINSTEM.CO.UK 17

History is missing her story: why the future is #LassiesinSTEM While Alexander Bell invented the phone, many notable Scottish women inventors are unheard of despite their monumental contributions. STEM is now gaining popularity and is a big theme in schools, colleges and government priorities

echnolog y strikes fear into the hearts of many, and is successfully avoided by very few. More recently, the acronym ‘STEM’, which encompasses the wider family of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths fields, has gained popularity. It’s a big theme across Scottish schools, colleges and government priorities. Scotland has a rich heritage in STEM, innovation and inventiveness. It’s common knowledge that our favourite device, the phone, was invented here and it’s one on a long list of gifts this great country has given the world. The normal lists of famous Scottish inventors, though long, shows only one side of what has come before. The ‘history’ is missing the ‘herstory’; many notable Scottish women inventors are unheard of despite their monumental contributions. Ayr’s Marion Gray made contributions to mathematics that are still used today by telecoms giants. Dundee’s, Williamina Fleming, discovered hundreds of stars. The first woman to gain a PhD from the University of Munich was Aberdeenshire’s very own geologist, Maria Gordon. Ever heard of them? This phenomenon is not confined only to times past. The current President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh is Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell. She discovered the first radio pulsars back in the 1970s but

the 1974 Nobel Prize for Physics for radio pulsars went to someone else. It will be to our collective detriment to forget these women, given the importance of their achievements. Now more than ever, technology and STEM have gone mainstream. Government services are being digitalised, life is played out on Facebook and the next generation are inseparable from their phones. Job prospects within the STEM sector are at a high and are driving the Scottish economy via a series of new ‘tech hubs’. The opportunity to tell ‘herstory’ is huge. Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past. Equate Scotland has said that Scotland needs 140,000 more engineers by 2020. We’re nowhere near meeting that demand, judging from current participation in training and education. There’s an industry wide skills shortage. In 2016, only five per cent of engineering modern apprenticeships in Scotland were taken up by women and only 18 per cent of those in digital technology jobs in Scotland are women. We’ll only have a chance of meeting demand if we have all genders participating. For our own sake, we need many hands-on deck in the Scottish STEM industry. Given our history in inventiveness, innovation and STEM, and the payoff we’ve had from the women participants, we need to make sure that we invest in future Marion Grays, Williamina Flemings and Maria Gordons. We need to invest

Anne-Marie Imafidon Co-founder, STEMettes

in our girls and young women, our ‘#LassiesinSTEM’. Stemettes is an award-winning social enterprise that has worked with nearly 15,000 young women across the UK and Ireland over the last four years. Our ‘free, fun, food’ ethos hosts girls-only spaces for them to be inspired, supported and encouraged into STEM. Last weekend, we teamed up with tech company, Methods Digital, to host girls from Paisley, as young as six years old, at a coding event at the University of the West of Scotland. Lots of free food and hours of creative fun later, they presented projects on the theme of ‘Fake News’ to industry professionals. After the event, 93 per cent said their confidence in their own STEM abilities had increased and 100 per cent would like to do more coding in the future. All attendees rated the experience 10 out of 10. Winners

included seven year old Isabel from Dalkeith, who created an interactive fake evidence news story about the moon being made from cheesy puffs and 13 year old Brooke from Glasgow, who created a very realistic fake news site featuring controversial Donald Trump headlines. Software Engineer, Eleanor Deal,said: “It was really good! The girls were so engaged, it was amazing how easily they picked it all up”, while the Head of Open Platforms in Wales, David Carboni, said: “The were some high standards of creativity and presentation. The girls were pretty much fearless about getting stuck in with coding. Impressive bunch!” Our previous work across Scotland has seen Aberdeen schoolgirls spend a day at engineering company, Centrica. Hundreds of young women attend impactful events in Edinburgh and Glasgow with our partners, Accenture, and thousands of young people change their perceptions of STEM after watching our new documentary, ‘Eat. Sleep. STEM. Repeat.’ at school screenings throughout March and April. We’re working hard on changing the social norms, not only for young women, but for their entire generation. We’re introducing these young women to a diverse set of role models so that we can counteract the lack of technical women they may have seen in media and in real life.

Despite low participation, many young women are technical role models themselves. Ellora James from Wick is featured in our documentary and took part in our STEM Entrepreneurship programme, Outbox Incubator, in 2015. A tech entrepreneur and co-founder of Envirocache, a few weeks ago, she was named as ‘The One to Watch’ at the 2017 Everywoman in Technology awards. She is a shining example of what the future of Scotland looks like and is one of a growing number of future Scottish STEM leaders. All hands-on deck for these #LassiesinSTEM. The long-established practices of role modelling and grassroots activities need to be boosted by proper media representation (a technical woman in River City or Eastenders perhaps?) and effort from all genders. Men are part of the solution. We’re all bound to ensure that girls and women are uninhibited by social norms or prejudice in their scientific and technological pursuit. Here’s to the future, well-documented, well-celebrated Marion Grays, Williamina Flemings and Maria Gordons. Here’s to the future of Scotland.

Read more on womeninstem.co.uk

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INSPIRATION COLUMN

Charlie Ball Head of Higher Education Intelligence, Prospects

The STEM industries are full of possibility for graduates The skills shortages in many STEM industries create real career opportunities, says Charlie Ball, Head of Higher Education Intelligence at graduate careers experts Prospects.

How many female graduates enter STEM careers? The problem with that question, is that it’s difficult to define what ‘STEM’ is. Is an environmental job STEM? Are media back-room roles in sound and lighting STEM? Take some common areas. Of last year’s graduates who went into engineering jobs, 13.5 per cent were women. In IT, it was 19.1 per cent. In conservation and environmental roles it was 53.7 per cent. The proportion of women going into natural and social science roles — which cover biology, pharmacy, pharmacology, chemistry, etc — was 54.9 per cent.

What are the challenges for women in STEM roles? We have to be honest: it’s a male-dominated sector and some women entering STEM careers will encounter attitudes that will make them feel uncomfortable. But, actually, most companies know they have to be inclusive or else they won’t get the workforce they need; and, in the vast number of cases, male colleagues are very supportive. Where are the biggest opportunities for female STEM graduates? The biggest areas — for all graduates, male and female — include surveying, which has a very serious skills shortage at the moment. Other areas of the construction industry with the same problems are town planning, project management and environmental health. These need a mix of good analytical and communication skills. What can women graduates do to make themselves more employable? It must be said that women with STEM degrees are already very employable; but work experience obviously helps. We also need more women recruiters who understand and can articulate the challenges of women entering industries that have traditionally been male-dominated. There’s often a confidence gap, so women in STEM must better express their own skills and abilities. How can we inspire more women graduates to go into STEM roles? High profile, inspiring role models help, because they prove that women can thrive in these industries and compete on equal terms. We also need to mention the pay, which can be very good. And because these are fast-moving sectors there are lots of opportunities, which will be crucial to the future of the UK economy and the improvement of British society. It’ll be exciting and rewarding. What advice would you give to women considering STEM careers? Be adaptable. For example, be open-minded about where you work and go where the opportunities are. In STEM, many jobs aren’t in the big cities, which might mean setting up in locations that you are unfamiliar with or that take you away from friends and family. Be willing to learn new skills, change your role and take on new challenges. Read more on www.womeninstem.co.uk

Making a Difference at Every Stage of the Pipeline The tech sector is creating jobs at nearly three times the rate of the rest of the economy, and demand far outstrips supply. This digital skills gap must be addressed – one way is by inspiring more females to choose tech. By Doniya Soni

Diversity is not only a way to fill a gap, there is a strong business case. Ideas that originate from non-diverse teams do not often reflect the markets’ need. A diverse team can more accurately understand their customer base and needs. Also, gender-diverse companies are 45 per cent more likely to improve market share and are 70 per cent more likely to report successfully capturing new markets. To address the issue of gender diversity, we need to look at the pipeline – attracting, retaining and supporting the progression of women in tech. Only through a collaborative effort between Government, business and educational institutions can this be achieved.

Starting in the Classroom Girls taking computing at A-Level has declined by 70 per cent – and boys are four times more likely to take IT GCSE. With so much talent lost at GCSE, advice and guidance from an early age is critical for girls who are interested in pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects. A number of resources are available, including People Like Me, which empowers young women to understand the opportunities in tech. It allows girls to use their natural tendency to define themselves by

resource for jobseekers and employers. It aims to help individuals returning to the tech sector by providing free resources and job opportunities, and employers explore training initiatives to create their own returners’ programmes.

Doniya Soni Policy Manager, Skills, Talent and Diversity, tech UK

adjectives – such as imaginative or good with numbers (rather than objectively, as boys generally do). The tools translate the descriptions into career types, such as Explorer or Regulator, Persuader or Developer, showing which STEM careers could be of interest.

Retaining the Talent Estimates suggest that almost two million UK women are currently economically inactive due to caring commitments and 76 per cent of professional women on those career breaks want to return to work. However, lack of structure for women who have taken prolonged leave means there is a widening gap in female tech leaders. techUK identified that returners needed a tool they could use to get back into the tech sector. Our Returners Hub is an online

Trajectory of Progression Lack of diversity in senior leadership also impacts business. Publicly traded companies with male-only executive directors missed out on £430bn of investment returns in 2016. To address issues like this, techUK has been a part of launching the Tech Talent Charter. The Tech Talent Charter (TTC) is a recently launched Government-backed initiative where organisations commit to a set of undertakings that aim to deliver greater diversity in the UK tech workforce, better reflecting the make-up of the population. As the scope of the TTC grows, it will be a catalyst for a quantifiable increase in the number of women in tech. The Government, industry and academia must work together to promote existing initiatives and create programmes that encourage women to enter the thriving tech industry. By inspiring females to choose STEM the UK will be better able to create a modern, open economy that works for all.

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STEM NEEDS YOU! Are you ready to start your future career in a STEM role? Here are our top tips for getting the support you need to climb the STEM career ladder. Be yourself and be proud of you. If you enjoy a subject then ask about how it can become a key part of your career. Space rockets to cars are cool and interesting.

Talk about your ideas. Talk to your parents, peers and teachers. The more we open the discussion about STEM, the more likely it will become the new norm for women. Be part of that change, inspire the next generation.

“They (parents) appreciate that the range and diversity of career opportunities is far greater nowadays, but too many are simply unaware as to how their daughters’ strengths could translate into a modern tech career.”

“We’ve got some of the best scientiﬁc and creative talent in the world. It’s crucial to enhance that with an effective system of ﬂexibility and diversity.”

Karen Price

Dame Judith Hackitt

Get the skills needed. Find and engage with your careers advisor. They will be able to advise on the qualifications you will need and how to get them.

“Don’t rule yourself out. Think about what you want to achieve and go for it.” Griselda Togobo

Stand out. Ask for leading industry companies to come and visit. Impress them and you might end up with some kind of hands-on experience with that company.

“If this is the passion you want to pursue, then pursue it without limitation or hesitation. Put your heart and soul into it and break the stereotype.”

Don’t be afraid. Knowing what you want to do is scary. Not knowing what you want to do is equally scary. Ask for more insight to gain a better perspective on career paths and ask for examples.

“Only you can determine what the right career path is for you.”

QuynhGiao Nguyen

Francesca Parkinson

Lead from the front. Encourage your peers to advocate roles in STEM. After all, being a scientist, engineer or even astronaut is something to be proud of and excited about.

“It can be a challenge for women to overcome prejudices because you don’t look like ‘typical’ engineer. The way you defeat that is to do your best, and make sure your work is of equal or greater quality than your colleagues’.” Lizalyn Smith

“We want to challenge that view and change things so it’s completely normal to be a female… in tech or engineering” Anne-Marie Imafidon

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Inspiring and supporting women and girls in STEM is a business issue, not just a gender issue. To discuss this and be part of a conversation with industry leaders, tweet: #STEMwomenchat, on Monday 3rd July, 1pm.

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