BT furthers its efforts towards the inclusion of women in STEM

BT is teaming with three other communication giants in an initiative that seeks to support the entrance of girls into science, technology, engineering and mathematics(STEM) occupations. The other partners are Ericsson,02 an Vodafone. Dubbed ‘Step into STEM’, this program is expected to combine the ideas of women’s networks from the four companies in a bid to allow those on the rise to learn from seasoned professionals in various fields across STEM. The four agencies are working closely with the Girls Talk Organisation, an institution that seeks to encourage women to reach out to fellow women in esteemed positions in a bid to understand their own career trajectories.

A recent survey conducted by the Institute of Engineering and Technology paints a grim picture when it comes to women and STEM, indicating that of all the engineers in the UK, a measly 9% are women. It also goes further to suggest that 60% of parents remain unaware if this imbalance. This explains why the recent initiative ,led by BT, targets young girls between the ages of 16 and 17.

Paula Constant, BT Women’s Network chair says that while girls will study STEM courses at school, a very small percentage of them pursue related careers in the later years. She indicates that this should not be the trend, as there are many occupations women could pursue even with BT-including technology and cyber security.

Derek Mcmanus, a chief official at 02,believes that the old myth that STEM is an area for men is still doing the rounds , and that it needs busting. He strongly believes that diversity is the key to success in all technical fields.

Path forward for the mentoring project

The project has been active for a month now, with Girls Talk officials holding meetings with pupils across four schools based in London. These include St Michaels Catholic School in Southwark, King Solomon Academy in Wesminster, Ladys Convent School in Hackney and Heathcote School in Waltham Forest.

According to Girls Talk, 20 girls have already been selected and assigned to mentors. These mentors will hold talks once every month until late October this year. They are also up for a week in terms of work experience, and this is slated for July.

For some time now, BT has been at the centre of STEM campaigns and supports the Barefoot Computing Program, an initiative that makes it easier for teachers to help students code better. It is also a major participant in the Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Programme, where it sponsors 75 individuals. Half of the places on this programme are set to go to women.