"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" - (But Let's Get Serious About Women in STEM)
Franck Appleby
Global HR | Talent | Transformation | OD | Leadership | Culture | CHRO
When Cyndi Lauper sang, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," she probably wasn’t talking about having fun with calculus or coding, but Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) deserve their time in the spotlight.
Every 11th of February, we celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science to honor and promote their crucial contributions to STEM fields.
Global STEM Workforce
Women make up roughly 28% of the global STEM workforce. That means for every 10 STEM professionals, 3 are women.
Education and Fields of Study
Globally, women make up around 35% of STEM graduates. Unfortunately, this number has stagnated over the past decade, indicating that progress in this area has stalled.
Women are more likely to be represented in life sciences and health-related fields, while being significantly underrepresented in fields like engineering and computer science.
Challenges and Contributing Factors
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Social and Cultural Norms
Gender stereotypes and biases play a significant role in encouraging/discouraging girls from pursuing STEM fields. We need to remix those outdated tunes.
Leadership and lack of Role Models
Women hold a very small percentage of leadership positions in STEM. This is a global issue, with women facing barriers to advancement throughout their careers.
The lack of visible female role models in STEM is also said to make it difficult for young women to envision themselves in these careers. We need to showcase more rockstar women in STEM!
Workplace Culture
Some STEM workplaces still have a culture that is not flexible and or supportive enough. It’s time to change the beat and create a more inclusive environment.
Changing the Tune
Although there has been progress in increasing women's participation in STEM, a concerted effort from governments, educational institutions, and the STEM industry is still required.
When women and girls want to have fun with STEM, they need have every opportunity to do so and the stage is set for girls and women to rock it in science! ????????