Women comprise almost half the world population, yet only around 30% work in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). In the Philippines, only 36% of all STEM graduates are female. Why is this so?
Studies find that women and girls leave STEM at every key point in their lives: as early as fourth grade, when girls start to lose interest and confidence in these subjects; to university; and even while working in STEM fields. This represents a leaky pipeline for women in STEM.
Worldwide there is a high demand for STEM professionals, yet only 50% of these positions are filled. Clearly, we need more women in these fields.
So how can we fix the leak? We STEMpower our girls.
Evident partnered with Philippine Business for Education to co-design STEMpower Our Girls, a one-year program funded by Investing in Women, an initiative by the Australian Government.
The program reached out to 120 sixth grade girls at the age when they’re most likely to lose interest in STEM. In the three key cities of Metro Manila, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro, PBEd conducted after-school programs, industry talks, career caravans, and workshops to encourage the girls’ interest in STEM. Through strong branding, targeted digital marketing, and public relations, we helped STEMPower even more young girls around the country.
On social media, we developed a content strategy that offered something for everyone: Filipina STEM role models with relatable stories and achievable accomplishments; engaging quiz-type posts that encouraged girls to share their STEM knowledge; and event coverage that amplified all our on-ground efforts.
We also designed a campaign website, which provided female role models, STEM information, courses, and resources for students, parents, and teachers alike.
Our public relations efforts cultivated potential partnerships for the program and generated interest for STEM stories within the media community.
On Facebook, our engagement rate across all posts was significantly higher than the industry standard.
Kind of Content
STEMpower Our Girls
More importantly, most of the 120 girls in our program expressed a commitment to apply to science high schools to continue in STEM. Focus group discussions also revealed that their parents developed a deeper appreciation for STEM as a potential career path for their daughters.
With women building a future for women and empowering girls to discover and explore their love for STEM, we can help fix the leak and ensure a more equitable representation of women in STEM.