Many of us experience the influence of science, technology and innovation (STI) on a daily basis across many of aspects of our lives, from personal well-being, to learning, participation, livelihoods, environment and social life. STIs have potential for not only making incremental progress in the everyday lives of women but also as the source for truly disruptive and game changing solutions. Therefore, the ability of women to access, benefit from, develop and influence these sectors will directly impact whether we achieve our goals of Planet 50:50 by 2030. If women are left out of these 21st century revolutions, we will not achieve substantive gender equality by then. A study published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, suggests that “only dramatic intervention will change women’s low representation in information technology, physics and maths at more advanced levels despite the fact that female students have long outperformed their male counterparts at pre-university levels including in the science, technology and maths subjects”. As technology advances at a rapid speed, the labor market keeps evolving. As a result, an increasing number of jobs require STEAM skills and knowledge. However, women are still majorly under-represented in STEAM jobs. While women constitute almost 50% of the labor market, there are only 28% of women in STEAM fields as opposed to 72% of men (Eurostat 2018). Gender bias in STEAM and the low participation rates of women has already been adequately recorded and reported. It has been estimated that closing the gender gap in the STEAM field would increase the EU GDP per capita by 0.7–0.9 per cent in 2030 and by 2.2–3.0 per cent in 2050. In today's rapidly evolving economy women need to be aware that careers in the STEAM sector are a real possibility. While academia as a whole needs to do more to actively recruit women into STEAM majors, continuing vocational education and training has a key role to play in reducing shortages of skilled people to sustain the growing STEAM sector. Research studies highlight the lack of female STEAM role models and mentors; the shortage of STEAM taster courses for women; an unconscious bias against women within human resource professionals in STEAM focused companies; a significant confidence-deficit among women where the STEAM sector is concerned. The aim of the STEAMY WONDER project is to pilot a multi-faceted educational intervention targeted at women of all ages to address these issues. It seeks to achieve a greater gender balance in the STEAM sector by; a) promoting a culture of scientific thinking among women using evidence-based reasoning for decision making especially where career planning is concerned; b) provide appropriate and tangible role model case studies to ensure women have the confidence to participate in an increasingly complex scientific and technological world; c) develop a bespoke toolkit of resources for women that address competencies for problem-solving, innovation, analytical thinking, critical thinking, spatial awareness relating to STEAM subjects; d) provide guidelines to human resources managers that enable gender-neutral recruitment, retention and promotion in the STEAM sector. The following intellectual outputs are proposed to help achieve these aims: IO1 – Challenge-based Resources for Women in STEAM IO2 – In-service Training for VET Tutors IO3 – Human Resource Manager's Tool-kit IO4 – STEAMY WONDERS MOOC and Community of Practice Science learning helps us to interpret and understand our world, to manage risk and put uncertainty into perspective, to guide technological development and innovation, and to forecast and plan for the future. It improves job prospects, cultural awareness, and our ability to act as well-informed citizens. For some people, science refers only to knowledge of physical systems, living systems, earth and space systems and technology. Too often, science is seen as something separate from all other subjects or disciplines in education, disconnected from people’s lives beyond school. But, science influences all parts of our lives and our decision-making processes. Along with language and artistic literacy, knowledge of science and mathematics is the basis for personal accomplishment and responsible citizenship, social and economic development, and a benchmark of innovation, entrepreneurship and competitiveness in our global world. STEAM is one of the critical sectors of the economy in all EU Member States and as a sector it needs higher female participation rates for sustainability.
With the rapid development of STI, a career in STEAM represents the future. Women need to be aware that a career in STEAM is not only a real possible career choice for them, but that it also represents a career choice that will give them stability and better positioning on the labour market. This project aims to empower women of all ages to consider, plan, and achieve a career in STEAM by piloting a multi-faceted educational intervention targeted to women with the goal of balancing the scale between women and man in STEAM. By implementing the Steamy Wonders project the following objectives were achieved: • Promoting scientific, evidence-based reasoning among women with an emphasis on using this approach in career planning, • Providing role model case studies to build the confidence of women for participating in the STEAM field and the rapidly developing scientific and technological world in general, • Developing a custom-made toolkit for women that addresses key competences related to STEAM subjects that include problem-solving, innovation, analytical and critical thinking, and spatial awareness, • Providing guidelines for VET tutors for motivating, encouraging and empowering women to stray and build a career in the STEAM sector.
Callidus – Institute for Adult Education is a strong believer in Corporate social responsibility and therefore aims to contribute to society by taking part in project where the Institute’s knowledge and experience can be of use in addressing key social issues such as gender inequality. Science, technology, and innovation (STI) affect all aspects of our everyday life. Science and technology are evolving in a rapid pace which, among other things, represents an opportunity for personal growth and better positioning in the labour market on which STI has a direct affect. Thus, STEAM is proving to be a very profitable and stable career choice. Regarding gender equality, this puts women on a crossroad – they have the option to seize this opportunity and increase the number of women in STEAM or continue to fall behind on the labour market. Studies have shown that there are only 28% of women in STEAM even though they make 50% of the labour market and with the further rapid development of STI women are in danger of falling even further behind. It has been recognised that dramatic intervention is needed to balance the scale of women and men in STEAM, and the Steamy Wonders project aims to contribute to that cause.