Three in five Irish teenage girls believe gender inequality is the biggest barrier preventing them from pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and maths, according to new research. (Stem)
This figure is down from 83% in 2021, but I Wish, a program aimed at increasing women’s participation in Stem, says that to ensure equal opportunities for girls, education and wider society need to be improved. We believe systemic change is still needed.
The survey of 179 primary school students and 1,703 middle school girls found that 68% of girls’ schools offered Stem subjects other than math and science. This compares to 87 per cent in mixed-sex schools and 96 per cent in all-boys schools.
The study points out that 91 per cent of students studying engineering at second level are boys.
A third (33%) of teenage girls said stereotypes, including the belief that boys are inherently better at math, engineering and technology, are preventing girls from entering Stem fields. are.
“The survey results reflect what I Wish has observed over the past 11 years: Girls often express confidence in their abilities when they are young, but this confidence transfers into their tween and teen years. ,” said co-researcher Caroline O’Driscoll. -Founder of iWish.
She said this drop in confidence can be attributed to increased use of social media, lack of role models, stereotypes and unconscious gender bias. Alongside early intervention at primary school level, she said it was “crucial” to focus on teenagers, whose self-confidence is particularly vulnerable.
“The World Economic Forum’s 2024 report warns that 97 million jobs could be lost to AI by 2025, yet only 28.2 percent of the current Stem workforce is female.” said Gillian Keating, co-founder of I Wish.
Although there was an “encouraging” 37% increase in girls taking up at least one Stem subject between 2018 and 2022, Mr Keating said efforts to develop a diverse and innovative future workforce need to be stepped up. He said there is.
“We are advocating for a holistic, whole-of-society approach to tackling these challenges, including embedding women’s stories in Stem into all subjects at primary level and incorporating them into the sixth grade curriculum. “Part of this includes promoting community projects that focus on Stem,” she said.
For students at secondary level, I Wish provides referrals to locally-based female Stem experts, equal access to Stem subjects across mixed and mixed-gender schools, and to tackle gender stereotypes. We are calling for training.
Prime Minister Simon Harris, who launched the report, said the report proves early intervention works, adding: “We also need to ensure that girls have continued support beyond secondary school.” No,” he said.
