Relatable role models are essential if more women are to find work in STEM jobs. Steve Clarke reports
One million women work in STEM – science, technology, engineering and maths – occupations in the UK but, according to government statistics, this translates to only 29% of the overall STEM workforce.
Institution of Engineering and Technology research in 2024 revealed that one of the main reasons for this disparity is that women are not encouraged to think about STEM careers at school. They are also put off by how male- dominated the industry is.
The panellists at an RTS Technology online event, held on the eve of International Women’s Day, agreed that role models were essential.
“If you can see it, you can be it,” stressed the host, Kim Rowell, Managing Editor of News Production at ITN, and a board member of gender equality campaigners UN Women UK.
“It’s important that we as STEM women are role models to attract a pipeline of people into STEM,” said the co-chair of the BBC’s Women in STEM network, Lalita Taylor. “We’re active in being role models. It’s not only about attracting a pipeline of women but also encouraging them to stay in STEM roles.”
RTS Bursary Scholar and journalism student Elaysha Smith was asked if she thought young people were encouraged to consider STEM careers. “As a journalism student, it’s extremely hard to find opportunities in media itself,” she replied.
It was challenging to find internships or work experience, although she had landed two – one at the community newspaper the Brixton Bugle and another with a leading PR consultancy.
Smith added: “When considering STEM, it’s even more difficult. It’s not as promoted as other topics, such as fashion or sports. Science journalism is not pushed to journalism students.”
Melanie Gray, the newly appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University for the Creative Arts, said it was vital to encourage all students, especially women, to study subjects they might not have considered, such as gaming or film and TV production.
She said: “We have to introduce STEM into all of our subjects and embed STEM into everything we do. Also, we need to think about how you bring AI into film production courses.”
Ceramics is popular at the University for the Creative Arts, so embedding STEM subjects like AI and other digital media into courses like this was key. “This way, students get the right IT skills implicitly and probably more than they realise,” said Gray.
“On other courses, like gaming, those skills are much more explicit. It’s about coding and embracing technology. We have massive gaming labs which all our students can use.
“They’re open until late at night. Females need to feel they’re safe being there, which isn’t something males probably consider. Male students are not going to think about getting home safely late at night.”
‘Beyond the numbers: women in Stem shaping the media landscape’ was held on 6 March. Kim Rowell hosted and produced.
