Women in STEM

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Women in STEM

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How mentoring helps to build confidence P8

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The infamous memo that left people “shaking in anger”

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IN THIS ISSUE “You belong in STEM.”

techUK: Returners programmes

How society can have a positive impact

Women must be supported when they come back to

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READ MORE ON WOMENINSTEM.CO.UK The century-long battle

for equality continues, says Chief Executive, Kirsten Bodley of the Women’s Engineering

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Society

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Why wouldn’t you choose a career in STEM?

More young women should be tapping into the opportunities afforded by STEM careers, says Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, WISE Deputy Chair and Chief Executive, Renewable Energy Association.

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or any young woman thinking about her future job options, the question shouldn’t be: ‘Why should I choose a career in STEM?’ The question should be: ‘Why wouldn’t I?’ Because, if you have a curious nature, are fascinated by problemsolving and want to make a positive difference to society, then studying subjects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics can open up a world of exciting, satisfying and diverse possibility.

You might be a chemist finding an alternative to the plastic that’s polluting our sea, or a scientist working in

Dr Nina Skorupska CBE Deputy Chair, WISE and Chief Executive, Renewable Energy Association

In STEM, gender is no barrier to career progression.

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renewable energy or on a cure for cancer. You might be discovering how to bring electricity to the billion people around the world who currently don’t have it. You might be an engineer designing the transport of the future, or an IT expert creating video games, or the technology that helps other people to be extraordinary in their careers. The list goes on.

Be open-minded about STEM It’s time to shatter STEM stereotypes.

For example, STEM isn’t just about having technical ability. You also need to be creative, whether you’re a rocket scientist or an architect. And,

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while maths is an integral part of a STEM career, you don’t have to be a genius at it. Plus, while it’s true that many areas of STEM are still maledominated, things are changing and gender is no barrier to career progression. It’s possible to explore different career paths, too, because STEM skills are transferable.

Most of all, though, the message is: ‘Be open-minded.’ Find out about STEM opportunities for yourself. You may be surprised at what you discover.

Tony Greenway

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Expert insight: Why gender diversity is important in STEM

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Q and A

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SPONSORED Emma Bowyer Test Engineer, DePuy Synthes

Experts from the healthcare industry discuss how establishing a diverse workforce is crucial to creativity.

Research around the impact of diversity in the workplace continuously shows numerous benefits to businesses, with possible results including increased employee loyalty, workplace satisfaction and boosted creativity.

“There are many reasons to pioneer gender balance in the workplace,” says Dr Michael Barker, WorldWide Vice President of Research and Development at DePuy Synthes, part of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies. “Having a team of diverse thinkers, within an inclusive culture, helps to drive creativity and innovation, leading to solutions that ultimately benefit patients on a global scale.”

Innovation, creativity and a greater understanding of your consumers can all be fostered through a diverse workforce, agrees Dr Roz Bekker, Sponsor for Diversity and Inclusion at Janssen UK – a pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson.

“If you really want to understand your marketplace and deliver products, solutions and services to the broader population, your business needs to be representative of that population.” Despite this, though, women are still disproportionately under-represented in STEM occupations.

Dr Michael Barker Worldwide Vice President, Research & Development, DePuy Synthes

In 2017, just 35% of girls chose maths, physics, computing or a technical vocational qualification compared to 94% of boys.

Dr Bekker says she was ‘fortunate’ to be inspired into STEM by the example set by her mother, through her healthcare journals and medical evacuation work in South Africa. Yet for many young girls there is a real absence of female role models in STEM. Dr Bekker contributes to a series of Johnson & Johnson programmes which have been launched to address this, including the Women’s Leadership and Inclusion programme, aimed at developing and enhancing women’s careers within the business.

Globally, Johnson & Johnson has an ambitious target to inspire 1,000,000 girls between the ages of 5 – 18 to pursue careers in STEM fields by 2020.

“We recognise that, in order to get a better gender balance in an area, you need to inspire children from a very young age. You need to profile role models so children – or young women – who are thinking about a career in STEM, will think, ‘Look at what these women have done… I can do this, too’,” says Dr Bekker.

Dr Roz Bekker Business Unit Director, Sponsor for Diversity & Inclusion Janssen UK “We have a number of strategic academic partnerships worldwide with universities, alongside apprenticeship schemes, work placements, PhDs and scholarship programmes.

This expands the talent pool exposed to the organisation and increases opportunities to drive gender balance in the recruitment process,” he says.

Addressing the gender balance in recruitment opens the door for a wider system and culture of inclusivity and support. “We set up networking events to give the opportunity for women to improve self-confidence in business and networking skills alongside unconscious bias training,” says Dr Bekker.

The need to address the gender balance within STEM occupations is clear. Women make up just 24% of all people employed in STEM industries. A key area for concern is the huge drop-off in the number of girls studying core STEM subjects at the age of 16.

Encouraging diversity through multiple talent pipelines Maintaining gender balance throughout talent pipelines, at all levels, is another key concern. Dr Barker believes broadening the range of routes into the organisation is crucial for creating a diverse workforce.

What was your route into the industry?

I took the traditional way – A-levels and university – but there are so many different routes. My first manager, for example, started as a machinist making roulette wheels, then worked up through that company, while several of my colleagues started out as apprentices.

Aspiring to and maintaing a diverse workforce should be a simple business decision and one that all businesses should employ. “We are very focused on our diversity aspiration,” says Dr Barker. “We are all about innovation that meets the unmet needs of patients, and research shows that diversity can further foster that.”

How are you involved in inspiring others into considering a career in STEM? Last year, we held 23 workshops and careers events reaching 2,200 students, showing them what is possible in STEM. We had several groups visit our site and experience the working environment, which they really loved. Our team of volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and are great role models.

Alex van den Broek

Why is diversity important in STEM? I think it’s important for young people to have every opportunity to know that they aren’t limited in what they can do.

Despite some misconceptions around STEM - it is actually a really creative environment. If everyone fits a mould, you’ll lose that creativity: a diverse workforce is key to thriving and innovating in our industry.

Source: https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/ resources/2017/11/from-classroom-to-boardroom-thestem-pipeline-2017

About Johnson & Johnson

Increasing female representation in STEM

What made you decide to become a bioengineer?

I was inspired by taking part in STEM activities, such as building and racing a single-seater electric car. At university, I loved combining the biological and the mechanical. It may sound a bit clichéd, but I always hoped that, through my work, I could help change people’s lives.

Johnson & Johnson is the largest and most diversified healthcare company in the world, with a substantial and long-term economic presence in the UK. It employs around 130,000 people globally and operates across three key business segments; pharmaceuticals (Janssen), medical devices (which includes DePuy Synthes) and consumer health, from 13 offices in the UK – four of which have R&D facilities.

As a science-based company, Johnson & Johnson is committed to developing and delivering innovative solutions to patients and customers in the UK that will help to change the trajectory of health for humanity.

Read more on jnj.com

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Q&A: Being a woman in motorsports engineering

Kathyrn Richards Wind-Tunnel Technician and D2BD Ambassador

What advice would you give for girls focusing on maledominated careers?

My first piece of advice would be to not think about it being a male-dominated career. This in itself can be very daunting and can create unnecessary barriers.

Focus on the career only and what you need to get yourself there. If you know what you want to do, stay focused and do not let anyone tell you can’t or shouldn’t do it. The most important thing is to believe in yourself and stay in control.

There are many different ways to achieve your end goal, whether it is through university or the more practical routes of work experience and apprenticeships. Never be afraid to ask for help or advice.

I would not be where I am today if I had not written a letter over 20 years ago to ask about the possibility of a tour of the – then Benetton – Formula One Team factory. The gentleman who conducted that tour went on to become my mentor and lifelong friend. If you do your best and believe in yourself, you will succeed.

Why is it important to challenge stereotypes?

It is important to challenge stereotypes so there is a clear future for a new generation of female engineers. Engineering and motorsport is an inherently male-dominated industry and can appear a scary place for young girls starting out. It will take a long time to change the male to female balance, but I do believe that, as more women emerge into the industry and show that they are just as capable as their male counterparts, any existing stereotypes will just disappear.

Read more on womeninstem.co.uk

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How to maximise your soft skills for a STEM career Employers value more than just the subjects you’ve studied, or the work experience you have. Your soft skills show your professionalism in a multitude of ways. Here’s how to make the most of them.

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ou cannot underestimate the power of your soft skills when it comes to applying for a role in the STEM industry. Here are some of the essential skills to perfect: Resilience Adapting to new situations and recovering from difficulties or setbacks.

When things don’t go your way, resilience is your ability to recover and move on. Seeing mistakes as a chance to learn, rather than something negative, while being determined to keep trying, is a good example of this. Your first job will bring about a lot of change, so you need to be able to navigate this with enthusiasm. Always ask for advice – people respect that being in a new environment is daunting and that you want to do a good job, so they’ll be happy to help!

Managing up Being flexible in your approach in communicating with your manager and other senior leadership in a business.

Managing up is something you learn best on the job – it’s all about how you manage people’s expectations of the work you’re producing, how you interact and show your respect for more senior people in the company you work for. Really, it’s about making sure you successfully al-

student; if people look to you to organise the group in a team project, or if you find yourself settling disputes in your peer group in a democratic way, you’re a natural born leader!

Ellie Green Marketing Assistant, Milkround

Confidence: What 46% of 12–24 year olds wish they had more of. ter your approach to ensure it’s appropriate for whoever you’re speaking to. Good examples of this are speaking about projects with your teachers or knowing how to communicate efficiently and effectively with a senior member of staff at work.

Leadership The ability to take charge of a situation, to be responsible and take ownership of projects.

You may think you’ve never had the chance to prove your leadership skills, but the basic traits that make a good leader can be found in different contexts. If you’re part of a sports team; a mentor for a younger

Confidence Self-belief in your own abilities or qualities.

Speaking of confidence, this is the skill that 46% of 16-24-year olds wish they had more of*. There’s no “one rule fits all” for this one, as not everyone finds the same situations nerve-wracking.

The main thing to remember is that the more you tackle the things that make you nervous – whether that’s presenting in front of your classmates or raising your hand to ask a question – the more confident you’ll grow.

Acknowledging the things that intimidate you is the first step to being more confident, plus it proves you’re self-aware, which is another sought-after soft skill.

Identifying the soft skills you have by having clear examples that show each one in action is a great technique to use in application forms, or in an interview situation for a role in the STEM industry.

Alongside your interest in science, tech, engineering or maths, your soft skills are powerful tools – so make sure you shout about them! *Statistics from Milkround’s Candidate Compass Report 2018.

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McLaren’s driven women smashing age-old stereotypes Think engineering is just for men? Think again. We talk to three female engineers who secured their dream jobs with luxury automotive, technology and motorsport brand, McLaren.

My role: Data-driven modelling in the health, public transport automotive and motorsport industries

Sinead Cook Associate Data Scientist, McLaren Applied Technologies

My role: Working to make cars go faster

Alex Trebilco Project Engineer, McLaren Automotive

My role: Sportscars and supercar design

Rebecca Wilson Aerodynamicist, McLaren Racing

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efore she went to university to study engineering, Sinead Cook didn’t know anything about computer programming, data or coding.

“I thought it was just for gamers!” she says. “I wasn’t aware that it can be applied in every industry. Then I saw various professors involved in programming research, which is when I got interested.”

At McLaren Applied Technologies, Sinead is part of a team that offers data-driven and modelling solutions to clients in the motorsport, automotive, public transport and health arenas in order to deliver quantifiable

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lex Trebilco was told at her all-girls school that she wasn’t clever enough to be an engineer. How wrong can a teacher be? She now designs road cars for a living at McLaren Automotive. “Design technology was my favourite subject at school”, she says. “I loved the variation between practical and theoretical work”, but the focus at my school seemed to be on law and business, so finding a way into STEM wasn’t easy. Luckily my technology teacher used to be an engineer and pointed me in that direction.”

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orking as an engineer on M c L a re n’ s Formula 1 racing cars isn’t just a job for Rebecca Wilson.

It’s a way of life. “Formula 1 is so exciting,” she says. “You can’t sit idle for a minute because there’s always a new challenge to solve to make the car go faster — and I find that really thrilling.”

She also loves the rapid pace of her work. For example, one week she might be thinking up a design improvement that could significantly impact a car’s performance;

performance advantage. “At the moment I’m creating machinelearning algorithms for a healthcare project,” she says. “The great thing about my job is that I get to work with cutting-edge technology in a space that moves very quickly.”

There’s now a huge demand for data scientists and software engineers in every sector, says Sinead, so a key challenge for educators is getting children into programming at a young age. “Women and people from BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) backgrounds are super underrepresented in data science and software engineering,” she says.

“Teaching kids early is the way to

interest them in a fascinating, fastmoving career.” Sinead, however, only started programming two years ago. “You can teach yourself how to code online, so nobody should be thinking ‘it’s too late for me’,” Sinead says. “At McLaren, there are projects relating to wearables, retail, sports performance, entertainment, transport – the applications of machine learning are incredibly wide-ranging, so it’s important for this diversity to be reflected in the workforce.”

Trebilco went on to study a degree in Mechanical Engineering with Composites, and she employs the skills she learnt at university every day. “The latest car I’ve been working on was heavily carbonfocused, so I’ve been using knowledge I gained during its design,” she says.

In her job, working hours can be long, particularly when new cars are being put through their paces on the test track. But that’s OK, says Trebilco. “I never wanted to be in an office, nine-to-five. Instead, I get to travel around the world with my job.”

Working in automotive doesn’t give immediate results.

“A design project can last for two to three years,” she says. “So you have to be patient before you see any results. But when a car rolls off the end of the production line and you get direct feedback come in from customers and the media, it’s a proud moment.”

Alex has recently begun work on McLaren Automotive’s motorsport programme which sees the company design, develop and build race versions of its road cars for customer teams to race in championships such as British GT.

the next she’ll be in the wind tunnel, testing the concept before it is released to the track. “I also love that we’re a team, and everyone contributes,” she says. “That’s very rewarding.”

At school, Rebecca was arguably better at English and History; but she enjoyed the challenge of STEM subjects. And anyway, she knew she needed them going forward because working on Formula 1 cars had always been her dream job. She took a degree in aero-mechanical engineering at university and elected to take a year out of her studies to work in industry to gain

as much experience as possible under her belt. “I wanted to be the best candidate I could,” she says.

“Fundamentally, I wanted a job I enjoyed, which is what I ended up with. I’m very glad I chose a career in STEM — and I love coming to work every day.”

For more information about careers at McLaren visit:

mclaren.com/careers

Tony Greenway

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Are YOU any of these?

PERSUADER

Imaginative and persuasive Likes to understand what will appeal to potential customers

ENTREPRENEUR

Confident and a leader Likes to make things happen and combine empathy, teamwork and financial awareness

EXPLORER

Inquisitive and practical Likes to be the first to know and to understand things

COMMUNICATOR Empathetic and good with words Likes to engage with different audiences and /or languages

DEVELOPER Creative and practical

Likes to design and develop products for a better tomorrow

Then you should look into ...

The Space Sector Source: UK Space Agency/WISE

The infamous memo that shocked women in STEM Picture this: you’re young, female, and it’s your first day at a world-leading tech company. You’ve grafted hard to get here; rigorous exams, a graveyard of job applications in your wake.

You sit at your desk, full of nerves. But despite your self-consciousness, you’re optimistic – the world’s your oyster, this is your time. Right?

Out of the blue comes an email, which reads: “as long as tech and leadership remain high status, lucrative careers, men may disproportionately want to be in them” You wonder: was I right to be self-conscious? I always knew I was unusual, being the only woman in my lectures, but I thought I’d feel better in a “proper job”. I’ve earned my place here, haven’t I…?

The infamous ‘Google memo’ You may be shocked to hear that this story is real. Last August, Google engineer, James Damore, sent the infamous “Google memo1”: multiple pages detailing women’s biological inferiority in tech. A horrific example of bigotry, which left fellow employees “shaking in anger2 ”.

Despite decades of effort, a recent study3 showed we may be centuries away from achieving gender parity - 280 years in computer science alone.

The glass ceiling still exists.

With examples like the Google

Believe me, you belong in STEM

Katherine Mathieson Chief Executive, British Science Association

I always knew I was unusual, being the only woman in my lectures. memo, it’s easy to see why.

Sadly, sexism is still prevalent, even in the most wellmeaning people. A phenomenon we all suffer from is unconscious bias, whereby we make instinctive decisions and actions based on our experiences and cultural influence.

There’s no wonder that bias seeps in. When you image search “doctor”, 75% of pictures are of men, even though in 20174, the percentage of male doctors was 53%. A study5 also showed that when male doctors are introduced, their title is used nearly 100% of the time, but when females are introduced, their title is used less than half the time.

This may seem depressing, but there is hope. We can all make a difference through changes in the language we use, stories we tell, imagery we show. Making conscious adjustments means we’ll chip away at the bias that’s holding women back.

It’s also heart-warming to see bigger shifts happening.

Google fired James Damore and there was an outpouring of support for the women who worked with him.

While there’s a long way to go, I’m optimistic. I work with many wonderful and capable women every day, who are proof you can thrive in STEM. But it’s not just the responsibility of those in the sector to spread the right messages and break down barriers, it’s the responsibility of everyone. This is a societal problem, not a science problem. We can all help our young women to believe that yes, you do belong here.

Read more on womeninstem.co.uk Sources: 1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google%27s_ Ideological_Echo_Chamber

2

https://www.theverge. com/2017/8/5/16101978/google-employee-wrote-anti-diversity-manifesto

3

https://theconversation.com/new-studysays-the-gender-gap-in-science-couldtake-generations-to-fix-95150

4

https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/about/ somep/somep_2017_chapter_1.pdf?

5

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/ jwh.2016.6044

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What does a scientist look like?

We need to break down some patronising stereotypes if we want to attract young women into STEM careers — and we have to interest children in science from a young age, says one senior chemist.

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hen Dr Liz R o w s e l l goes into nursery and p r i m a r y schools to talk about science and to conduct some fun experiments, she always starts by asking the children a question: ‘What does a scientist look like?’

“They usually answer: ‘A man with white hair and spectacles’,” says Rowsell. “I say to them: ‘So do you think I’m a scientist?’ And they all shout: ‘No!’ I tell them: ‘Well, I am. And we’re going to do some science!’”

Rowsell laughs when she says this, but she’s making a serious point: there’s still a long way to go to break down the patronising and misleading stereotype that only men need apply for a career in STEM. “We do that by giving young children the chance to meet female scientists who are doing some really interesting, enjoyable things,” she says. “And we have to carry that all the way through to university level.”

Children need diverse role models in STEM Rowsell is now Corporate R&D Director at Johnson Matthey, a company using science to make the world cleaner and healthier.

As a girl, she always loved maths and science, but getting a Saturday job in a pharmacy dispensary aged 13 really fired up her interest in pursuing a STEM career.

“The pharmacist I worked with was extremely generous with his knowledge,” remembers Rowsell.

“He let me make potions, tablets and all sorts of concoctions and gave me

STEM roles offer a positive impact on society and job satisfaction

Dr Liz Rowsell Corporate R&D Director, Johnson Matthey

My job in a pharmacy dispensary really fired up my interest in a STEM career. the chance to apply my science. That was really important to me. He’s an example of how crucial role models can be because he allowed me to have more responsibility than you might otherwise give someone of that age.

I remember deciding there and then that I was going to be a pharmacist.”

Ultimately, though,that was not the route Rowsell took. But working at the dispensary made her realise that she enjoyed practical chemistry in the laboratory, so she studied a medicinal biological chemistry degree at university and, later, a PhD in iron-sulfur chemistry.

Rowsell is Johnson Matthey’s first female Corporate R&D Director, and has been with the company for 25 years. That’s an unusual amount of time to stay with one firm, she admits. But it doesn’t mean her career has been dull. Far from it, thanks to the sheer variety of work she’s been exposed to.

“I’ve been able to get involved in lots of different science areas: solutions for medicine, renewable energy and food quality, for example,” she says. “And, because of the nature of the job, I’ve always felt as though I’m making a real difference and contributing something to society. I think that kind of job satisfaction is important to many young people when they begin thinking about careers.”

Rowsell has also found another way to give something back. “I’m involved with various outreach projects, I sit on steering boards of universities and I’m a trustee for the Royal Society of Chemistry,” she says. “It’s a real privilege to be able to share my knowledge outside of the company. I’ve relished it.”

The number of females in STEM has increased

When Rowsell joined Johnson Matthey it was a very different environment, with few female scientists in senior positions. “I’m pleased to say that it’s a very different landscape today,” she says. “Now, one third of the board is female and one third of all senior managers are female. We have a female Director of Communications, a female Finance

Director, and a female Patents Director, who all studied science. That gives the clear message to young women from science backgrounds that their skills are transferable and can lead them into all sorts of different — and well-paid — roles.”

Apart from anything else, women are needed in STEM workplaces because a diverse workforce better reflects the population as a whole; and because the conversation and behaviour of a company becomes more inclusive as a result.

Rowsell is also convinced that creativity is driven through a diverse work force.

To anyone thinking of a career in STEM, therefore, Rowsell has one loud and clear message. “I would say: ‘Go for it.’ You’ll be delighted with the variety of options it gives you, no two days will ever be the same — and it’s always rewarding and interesting.”

She isn’t, however, saying that women in STEM won’t face challenges. “They absolutely will,” says Rowsell. “But if you equip yourself with the skills and know-how to cope with each hurdle you face, it’ll be easier to get over the next one. I would encourage women to share their experiences with other women across different age ranges to help break down barriers.”

Tony Greenway

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Manufacturing and engineering apprenticeships: gold standard training

Verity Davidge Head of Education and Skills Policy, EEF There aren’t many manufacturers that don’t see the value in apprenticeships.

Over two-thirds of companies we surveyed currently offer apprenticeships, with a further 14% considering doing so.

Only 5% have never offered them.

Why do manufacturers offer apprenticeships? Quite simply, to secure the skills they need now and in the future. But they’re also a hugely credible route to recruiting the next generation. That’s why over 50% of manufacturers say they offer apprenticeships to get the next generation into the industry.

Moreover, plans to recruit apprentices are on the rise. Two-thirds of manufacturers plan to recruit an engineering apprentice in the next 12 months. This trend for planned recruitment has been consistent over the past couple of years.

Interestingly, 38% of manufacturers plan to recruit an apprentice outside of engineering. Speaking directly to employers, they are keen to place apprentices in other functions within their business, such as IT, not only to ensure they have the technical skills and experience to succeed in the job, but also to bring in more young, fresh talent into the business.

But it’s not all a numbers game and we shouldn’t let it be. Quality is the focus for the manufacturing and engineering industry when it comes to training the next generation.

Read more on womeninstem.co.uk

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Don’t underestimate the power of mentoring Mentoring can help women to build the confidence and connections they need to rise through the ranks in male-dominated industries.

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lack of confidence is probably the single biggest factor that holds women back in fields dominated by men, says Kirsten Bodley, Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES).

“Having a mentor can really help to build confidence and also provide women with the advice and guidance they need to break down barriers.”

Mentoring should be widely available Mentoring is certainly not a new phenomenon and many larger companies have established schemes to help new members of staff settle in. However, there are countless opportunities within STEM industries and Bodley believes that women can benefit from the impartial advice and guidance offered by external mentors too.

Another key problem is that women can’t see themselves represented within STEM industries and are therefore discouraged from entering the profession in the first place. This issue could be addressed by providing mentors even before individuals join the career ladder. “There is a lot to be said for providing university students with mentors who have just started in the industry and can welcome

Kirsten Bodley Chief Executive, Women’s Engineering Society (WES)

senior position to be a mentor, and distance shouldn’t stand in the way either.

There are some very successful mentee relationships that take place using phone, email and Skype,” continues Bodley. “The most important thing is that it’s a non-judgemental relationship, focused on helping the mentee to achieve their goals.”

Universal benefits

You gain confidence in yourself and you learn vital skills. them in,” says Bodley.

Role models are vital It’s hard to refute the benefits of mentoring, but it remains difficult to fulfil requests simply due to the lack of role models within the industry. Bodley wants to see this issue addressed by encouraging a more creative approach to mentoring that sees women at different stages of their career stepping up to support others.

“You don’t have to hold a

While the needs of the mentee are paramount, mentors also gain a lot from the process too. “I’m a mentor for a number of A-level students through the Social Mobility Foundation and, as well as being both rewarding and satisfying, you also gain confidence in yourself and learn vital communication skills,” say Bodley.

In 2002, WES established their own mentoring scheme to support women working within STEM industries. It has continued to grow in popularity and many, like Bodley, would like to see mentoring become a core component of everyone’s professional development.

Kate Sharma Read more on womeninstem.co.uk

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62060 5,080 62,060 In 2016-17, only 5,080 women became apprentices, compared to 62,060 men. That’s fewer than 8%.

Source: WISE/Resources

Q&A with a Chemical Engineering grad: Your STEM skills can take you far Stephie spent a summer in an internship role at Centrica. She is now a Process Engineer for Spirit Energy (part of the Centrica group) on their four-year graduate scheme. She talked to us about her career choice.

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he work I do is important to almost all aspects of daily life - keeping us warm during the winter, keeping the lights on, and cooking food!

Q: What degree did you do and why?

A: I did both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be an engineer. I enjoy problem solving, as well as maths and physics. I chose chemical engineering simply because I also really enjoyed chemistry.

Q: What attracted you to the energy and utilities sector?

A: While in university I applied for summer internships. I found out about Centrica from a diversity

recruitment company, got an offer for a summer role there and really enjoyed it!

Q: What is an average day?

A: No two days are the same, each brings its own unique challenges – one of the things I love most about my job. I really enjoy solving difficult, real-world problems and learning something new almost every day. It’s a career that’s exciting and rewarding.

Stephie Pascal Process Engineer, Spirit Energy

It’s a career that’s exciting and rewarding.

Q: What about the career prospects?

A: There are so many opportunities in the energy industry – there is a skills shortage for almost all types of engineers. Meeting the changing needs of consumers requires both engineering, technical and commercial expertise.

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Since joining Centrica, I’ve had technical and core development training and am now working towards becoming a chartered engineer.

Start your journey here Talent Source Network connects you with leading companies in the energy and utilities sector looking to recruit talented women and men at every level.

Register to showcase your unique skills to these potential employers and find a role that is right for you.

Read more at talentsourcenetwork.co.uk/your-career/graduates

10 WOMENINSTEM.CO.UK

Q&A: Being a woman in STEM

Jastina Solutions Engineer, Stemettes

Q: What support have you had getting into the industry?

A: Having someone to talk to is important. My sherpa, who is kind of like a mentor, shared with me some of the obstacles that she has faced in the industry. That was when I realised that some obstacles are not going to just go away, but how you manage and deal with them is what’s important. Learning from her experiences helped me to go in with my eyes wide open. So instead of feeling, ‘this situation is not fair,’ I talk it through with her and she gives me the support I need to deal with the situation.

Q: Why did you choose to pursue a career in tech?

A: The impact that technology has had on the human race in such a small space of time is just incredible. For instance, if you are working in medicine you will most likely be working on something that may not affect people in your lifetime. Whereas, in technology, the work you do will have an impact on people now.

Q: What’s your most valuable advice for a young woman interested in STEM? A: - Put the effort in and give yourself time to prepare. It’s very easy to get anxious and stressed.

If you do get worried, try doing exercise to relax.

- Accept that this is hard: If you are finding it hard then that is normal!

Reach out to people - you don’t have to do it alone.

- Have a goal – focus on small milestones.

- Don’t just concentrate on your degree, spend time being aware of your basic needs and values.

You have to be aware of what makes you tick as that is what keeps you going.

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Returners programmes must be a priority to encourage women back into work Women returning to the workforce after career breaks are often underconfident of their professional skills.

Returners programmes can change workplace perceptions towards women and improve the diversity in the workforce, empowering these women to return.

Jacqueline de Rojas President, techUK

T

he lack of representation of women in senior STEM roles remains critically low. Only one in six IT professionals are women and one in ten senior IT professionals are women. Work is being done to improve interest at all levels, but we must make a concerted effort to ensure there are senior females that can act as role models for the next generation.

A key barrier to improving senior female representation is that women are daunted by the idea of returning to the workforce after a career break; 60% of mother returners feel either less confident or not confident in the contribution they can make and in their professional skills.

In a fast-changing sector like tech, where new technologies are transforming work practices rapidly, the prospect of returning to work is even more daunting than in other industries. This must be remedied through proficient returner programmes, which ease the process for women.

What is a returners programme?

A returners programme seeks

to upskill mid to senior-level women who have taken a career break of two or more years. These programmes usually take place over a number of weeks, with content varying between companies, and aim to secure full-time employment on completion.

Why is the programme important?

We are creating more jobs than we can fill in the technology field. So, we have a pressing talent pool issue. We need to include women to enable this country to thrive as a digital nation of significance!

Improving gender representation across seniority rankings, returners programmes shift workplace perceptions surrounding a woman’s right to return to work and challenge the unconscious stigma around career breaks.

Firstly, by running such schemes, employers are recognising the value that women returners can contribute to work by encouraging them to return to the workplace.

Secondly, the courses empower women to feel confident to return to the workplace, likely resulting in more assertive and confident female leaders.

It is well-documented that diversity matters in improving business outcomes.

#PressforProgress There are a number of initiatives seeking to change workplace attitudes towards career breaks – such as shared maternity-paternity leave – and many are fostering a perception change around shared parental responsibility.

However, returners programmes directly address the concerns of women who have taken a break and show the rest of the workforce the great contributions these individuals can offer.

Building on this year’s International Women’s Day theme - #PressforProgress returners programmes are largely demand-led initiatives. I encourage all that read this to #PressforProgress by discussing these programmes with your employer or, if you are the employer, ensuring you have the mechanism to attract untapped talent.

Info box: techUK has created the Returners Hub, a free resource for women looking to get back into tech. It includes details of several different programmes so they can pick the one that works for them.

Read more on womeninstem.co.uk

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WOMENINSTEM.CO.UK 11

Inspiring women to thrive in technology Seeing beyond the technology gender gap, to a world where women play an equal part in creating our future.

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S

heridan Ash, Technology and Investments Director at PwC, realised that there weren’t enough women in the tech workforce, so decided to do something about it by creating a variety of initiatives that address gender imbalance.

Ash wears two hats: “I look at the strategy around how technology is used with clients, and I also look at how technology is disrupting us as a

Sheridan Ash Technology and Investment Director, Women in Technology Leader, PwC

We need to raise awareness about the exciting roles in a sector that has the power to change the world.

business,” she explains. “My favourite role, though, is as our Women in Tech leader.”

This involves taking action to get more women into technology roles.

“I set up Women in Tech because it was pretty obvious to me that we didn’t have enough women in the technology workforce and felt this was something we needed to address,” says Ash. By founding the Tech She Can Charter she has encouraged the firm’s clients and wider business to address gender imbalance in the industry.

Determined to make a difference Ash is determined to make a difference and get more women into

tech. “I believe you can only do that by working together across businesses, across industry, with government and with educators,” she says. “That’s how we’ll really make an impact.”

“By working together we can reach more females at an earlier stage of their lives,” says Sheridan Ash. “We need to work harder to raise awareness about the exciting range of technology roles out there, in a sector that has the power to change the world.”

Read more on pwc.co.uk/techshecan

PwC’S WOMEN IN TECH: TIME TO CLOSE THE GENDER GAP RESEARCH 2017 HTTPS://WWW.PWC.CO.UK/WHO-WE-ARE/WOMEN-IN-TECHNOLOGY/TIME-TO-CLOSE-THE-GENDER-GAP.HTML

The technology industry is having trouble recruiting women, despite being one of the UK’s most exciting industries.

One company is doing its best to close the gender gap.

Technology is changing the way we work. From Artificial Intelligence to Augmented Reality and from 3D printing to drones, forward-thinking companies are using the latest technologies to work smarter, unlock their potential and prepare for a brighter future. In truth, this isn’t really a choice. They have to do it if they want to survive the digital revolution — and then thrive.

Not surprisingly, with all this innovation taking centre stage, there are a huge variety of career

opportunities currently available in tech. Yet, disappointingly, research from multinational professional services network PwC reveals that only 27 percent of female students would consider a career in technology — while, alarmingly, just three percent named it as their first choice. The same research, which surveyed over 2,000 A-Level and university students, shows that the gender gap in technology starts at school and carries on through every stage of girls’ and women’s lives.

Increasing the number of women in tech So while the tech industry can offer rewarding roles and inspiring working environments, it’s clear that one key factor is holding it back: diversity.

In short, technology is still perceived as a largely male domain.

In order to make tech a more attractive and inclusive working environment for all and, ultimately, change the ratio for women, PwC has brought together a group of organisations that have signed up to its Tech She Can Charter. The Charter commits them to working together to increase the number of women in technology roles in the UK.

Gaining experience while getting a salary The firm also runs four-year Technology Degree Apprenticeships in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Birmingham and the University of Leeds; plus four-year Data Sci-

ence Graduate Apprenticeships with the University of Edinburgh and the University of St Andrews.

The Apprenticeships have all been designed so that students can gain a blend of work experience with the company’s tech teams during work placements, receive fully funded tuition, gain a degree — and get paid a salary.

Plus, there’s its three-day Women in Tech programme which offers undergraduates the chance to shadow successful female leaders within technology, who can demonstrate the variety of opportunities available in the industry.

Tony Greenway Read more on pwc.co.uk/careers

8 HEALTHAWARENESS.CO.UK

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