The world of science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) is the driving force behind a lot of development and advancement in the world as we know it. Yet, it has typically been a male-dominant industry. Because of this, we see a lack of women in the STEM workplace. So this leads us to ask – should more women have the courage and confidence to get into the world of STEM and begin to lead the way? Let’s explore.
The Statistics on Women in STEM
There are now over a million women in the world of STEM. However, as impressive as that sounds, that still only equates to around 29%. While we are certainly seeing change and improvement in this area, more needs to be done. Women are still grossly underrepresented – but what does this mean in terms of women who are actively looking to get involved in the world of STEM? Let’s take a look.
The Challenges Women Face
We know that the gender pay gap exists, but when you consider the stats on women in STEM fields, it’s easy to see that a clear gender gap exists in the workplace as a whole. Women can experience discrimination in everything from academia to interviews. And with not all businesses having family-friendly policies, this also acts as a barrier to entry.
Having the Confidence to Get into STEM
However, even though we can see that some of the stats appear to be stacked against us as women, it’s up to us to be the ones who change that. Yes, there may be barriers to entry, but we can break them down. This starts with having the confidence to believe in your abilities and pursue your dreams. Ultimately, you can always achieve anything you put your mind to. It’s all about banging on doors and not taking no for an answer.
Building a Business on Your Terms
Even though the corporate world is yet to catch up, women also face barriers to entry in the business world too. It’s known that female founders receive less investment than male founders, but this is just another hill you can challenge yourself to climb. So why not go first and look to build your own STEM business instead? Utilizing your intelligence, searching for the right resources like a medical supply store near me, and the desire to change the world are all you need. Building a business on your own terms could be just what’s needed to see a change in the STEM world.
Seeing Progression and Change in STEM
It’s clear to see that there has been progression in recent years, but the gap is still present. In order to change this, we as women need to be the ones to go first. It’s not always easy to have the confidence to put yourself out there, particularly when the odds appear to be stacked against you. However, a closed door often makes room for another one to open. So whether you persevere in the corporate STEM world or look to make waves in entrepreneurship, it’s up to us to make the change.
