ROOM TO BLOOM

United Women Singapore (UWS) and market research company Ipsos conducted a study in 2021 on the gender gap in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. What were the important takeaways?

Georgette Tan, president of United Women Singapore, on female representation in the STEM sectors

That it isn’t that women aren’t interested in these industries. Rather, we’re seeing comparatively fewer women in these fields partly because as 13‑ or 14‑year‑old girls interested in these subjects, they don’t get the same encouragement and support as their male counterparts. The girls are very bright and adept, even more so than the boys in many instances, so it isn’t about competence, but confidence. If we want to see more female participation in these sectors, we need to prop them up at a younger age; the earlier we back up their interest, the better the chances of keeping them on this path.

What needs to be done to encourage female representation?

Family encouragement and support as well as role models are crucial in sustaining the girls’ interest. We also need to highlight the creativity aspect in STEM to make it more appealing to the girls, who currently feel that STEM subjects don’t allow them to express this aspect of themselves. Equally important are female mentors who can guide and inspire, as well as male allies committed to creating opportunities for female representation in the STEM sectors.

What new plans does the UWS have to further encourage girls to go in the STEM direction?

For two years starting in 2022, our Girls2pioneers programme will support 40 female ITE students aged 17 and above, particularly those from lower‑income households, with a €100,000 bursary fund committed by Porsche—the funds will defray their living expenses so they can focus on making their dreams come true. Its curriculum has been expanded to include confidence building and job readiness workshops as well. Also, its group mentorship programme has been scaled to benefit more female students.