'We need to actively highlight the unique perspectives women bring to the table,' says UST on National STEM Day

Women’s struggle to gain equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematic-based (STEM) subjects and careers is a tale that is decades long. And sadly, we don’t seem to be nearing an end anytime soon.

Unsurprisingly, this problem persists across the globe, with women only accounting for 29% of the overall STEM workforce, according to The Institute of Engineering and Technology.

These numbers of course fluctuate across the countries with Iceland (45%), Switzerland (36%), Poland (37%), demonstrating strong progress, and with countries such as the UK (26%), Japan (16%), India (14%) showing that more work needs to be done.

To help achieve this, National STEM Day shines a spotlight on gender disparity, by encouraging individuals and businesses to pursue careers in these industries. However, there are a number of obstacles that prohibit this process.

In an exclusive conversation with UNLEASH, Seena Mohan, Senior Human Resources Business Partner at billion-dollar digital transformation company UST explains more.

Tackling the root cause of gender disparity in STEM

Although there is a clear gender disparity in the STEM sector, these jobs are projected to grow 10.8% between 2022 and 2032, which is almost 4x faster than non-STEM jobs, according to Code Wizards HQ.

In fact, further research from AAUW suggests that there are four key areas which are prohibiting the growth women within the STEM sector:

• Anxiety: ‘Math anxiety’ is the concept that some teachers – often women – have anxiety about math and pass the feeling onto girls.
• Cultures: Male-dominated cultures persist in STEM industries, causing inflexible, and exclusionary environments that do not support or attract women.
• Stereotypes: Often, STEM subjects and careers are labeled as masculine, causing a negative ripple effect for young girls.
• Role models: As women are underrepresented in the workplace, there are fewer role models for younger generations to aspire to.

It’s clear that these disparity starts in the education system and extends into the workplace, creating a persistent cycle of exclusion," Mohan explains.It’s clear that these disparity starts in the education system and extends into the workplace, creating a persistent cycle of exclusion," Mohan explains.

"While it’s encouraging to see an increase in discussions surrounding women in STEM – there are still critical barriers that need to be addressed.

“We believe corporate responsibility extends beyond company walls and out to our communities – which is why we partnered with Tech She Can, a charity dedicated to increasing the ratio of women in the tech industry, to create programs that encourage children, especially girls to consider careers in technology,” she adds.

What’s more, in 2023, UST introduced the Tech We Can Champions program, training UST women employees to serve as STEM ambassadors, working with schools across the UK to deliver STEM-Tech We Can lessons.

"Going forward, we need to actively highlight the unique perspectives women bring to the table, as well as showcasing their contributions to building an inclusive and sustainable future,” Mohan concludes.

“Additionally, it is imperative for governments and institutions to take decisive action by implementing policies aimed at closing the gender gap once and for all.”

So, if you're a leader in a STEM business, the big question is: Is your organization doing enough to close the gender gap?