Online tool to encourage girls into STEM careers

A new online resource has been developed to help teachers, careers advisors and parents engage girls in a different way with STEM subjects.

The resource, developed by WISE, the campaign to improve gender balance in STEM, helps girls to identify their personality types, shows them the sorts of roles in STEM that they could do, and matches them to role models who share their personality type to learn more about STEM careers.  

Helen Wollaston, Chief Executive Officer for WISE explains: “At A Level, only one in ten computer science students and one in five physics students are female. When you take out health, fewer than 1 in 5 of science, technology and engineering jobs in the UK are held by women. We simply have to get better at showing girls that maths, science and technology open doors to exciting, well-paid jobs where they can make a real difference to the world.” 

My Skills My Life, for girls between 11-19, was developed to address the stereotype that science, engineering and technology are more suited to boys than girls. 

Helen continues: “The resource uses mobile technology to connect girls with young women who have found great jobs using science, technology or maths. It is a simple, modern solution, accessible to every teenage girl in the country.”

WISE aims to reach 200,000 girls with the free to use online resource which is part of its ongoing work in schools providing career workshops delivered by real life female scientists, technologists and engineers. Since their launch three years ago, the workshops have reached over 6,500 girls.