- STEM Movement and IPADE Business School joined forces to drive the development of competitive and gender-focused talent for the 21st century.
- In Mexico, 38% of women study STEM degrees, but at an early age only 9% show interest in them.
- If gender inequality in science and technology is eliminated, Mexico would increase its scientific productivity by between 17% and 20%.
In Mexico, the low presence of women in STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) limits the possibilities of development in cutting-edge sectors, which require women’s vision to complement and enhance their development. With the aim of developing competitive talent with a gender focus for the 21st century, Movimiento STEM and IPADE Business School, through their Women in Senior Management Research Center (CIMAD), joined forces in research "Women Choosing STEM Careers", presented today and aimed to measure the impact of the STEM Talent Development Program on young people in public and private high school.
According to data compiled by CIMAD, 38 percent of women in Mexico study STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) but at an early age just 9% of young women (vs. 28% of young men) show interest in studying science or engineering.
"In an economic context of global crisis, in which the fourth industrial revolution is also generating new demands for work skills, reducing the gender gap is a the challenge still pending in Mexico and requires multisectoral treatment in order for women to develop STEM skills for professional success in the 21st century, said Eugenio Gómez, director of CIMAD.
Graciela Rojas, president of STEM Movement explained that the intervention shows that there is a greater predisposition when women have participated in the STEM Talent Development Program, there is a 26 percent increase in the number of young women entering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Graciela Rojas said that "STEM careers have no gender, they have great potential, demand and future and this research can also conclude that if the woman feels identified with certain areas of study, if stereotypes are countered and there is more information about the future of work and the challenges to be solved in this century, it will be possible to build more inclusive societies where young women are encouraged to follow their vocation, develop new skills and contribute their talent".
The study made it possible to investigate the factors that affect the career choices of young people, 28 percent of men indicated that their families influence their decision, while for women this percentage is 31 percent. Similarly, vocational guidance, teachers or even friends, affects 10 percent of young people and 11 percent of young women.
The intervention STEM Talent Development Program was carried out in public and private high school with an educational model of Bachillerato General, in Mexico City and the State of Mexico, for students of the last grade. It was supported by companies such as Bayer, Cemex, Fomento Social Citibanamex, Dupont, General Electric, Honeywell, Microsoft, and the United States Embassy in Mexico.
IPADE Business School is the leading business school in Latin America focused on improving the managerial skills of the business community. It was created in 1967 by a prominent group of Mexican businessmen. It has three sites: Mexico, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, and its presence in the most important cities of the country has led it to have a networking community of more than 40,000 graduates.
About the STEM Movement
Mexican a non-profit association that seeks to promote in Mexico and Latin America STEM education, jobs of the future, and innovation with a social and inclusive vision. We are the leading institution of the STEM Ecosystem in Mexico, an initiative endorsed by the Global STEM Alliance and STEM Learning Ecosystems.