- Together, the foundations have launched "Impacto STEM", a training project for school career officers aimed at promoting STEM careers among girls in years 10 and 11 across Spain.
- The UNESCO report Cracking the code: girls' and women's education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) suggests that only 35% of students enrolled on STEM courses in higher education are female. In the case of Spain, this figure stands at just 13% according to the study The State of Science 2020 issued by the Organisation of Ibero-American States (OEI).
- According to data from the FAD, there are still important professional gender stereotypes: 26% of women and 30.8% of men consider that the care sector is more suited to women and 28.9% of women and 33.8% of men consider that careers related to computer science and engineering are better suited to men.
Endesa Foundation and FAD Youth Foundation have joined forces to launch the "STEM Impact" project, which aims to promote STEM careers among girls in years 10 and 11 across Spain.
This project, which was launched in 2022 with the design of training and a pilot project, aims to change the widespread perception that women are less likely to study STEM courses, and that socially, they are considered as less likely to complete such studies successfully.
STEM professions (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) have come into much greater demand when pursuing a professional career. However, the presence of women in this field remains a minority, both as regards courses to prepare students for STEM careers and in the world of work itself.
The UNESCO report Cracking the code: girls' and women's education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) suggests that only 35% of students enrolled on STEM courses in higher education are female. In the case of Spain, this figure stands at just 13% according to the study The State of Science 2020 issued by the Organisation of Ibero-American States (OEI).
Therefore, the "Impacto STEM" projects aims to enhance the visibility of STEM careers in improving our daily lives, promoting the development of knowledge in scientific, technical and technological fields in female students and breaking down the barriers that hinder this mission: the stereotypes of the different educational agents.
Gender stereotypes and identities
Although between 54% and 64% of young people consider that men and women are equally capable of working in all professions, there are still important professional stereotypes associated with gender: 26% of women and 30.8% of men consider that the care sector is more suited to women, with the same going for the field of education and teaching (22.2% in the case of women and 27.1% in the case of men).
In terms of careers considered as better suited to men, examples include computer science (35%), engineering (28.9% of women and 33.8% of men consider that this career is better suited to men) and, to a lesser extent, business management (21% and 28.1% of women and men, respectively) and science and innovation (20.8% of women and 24.4% of men).
This data has been taken from the "Youth and Gender Barometer. Identities and representations in a complex social reality"; this research work was undertaken by the Reina Sofía Centre on Adolescence and Youth at FAD Foundation that analyses the perception of teenagers and young people aged between 15 and 29 in areas related to gender differences and inequalities, identities, emotional experiences and perceptions in relation to inequality between men and women.
"Impacto STEM", pilot project aimed at school career officers
"Impacto STEM" is aimed at school career officers for them to act as mediators and agents of change within the educational environment. The purpose of the project is to provide them with resources they need to promote effective and inclusive vocational guidance strategies, helping students to dream of an academic and professional future connected to their passions and interests and with professional pathways through:
- Training on non-stereotyped vocational guidance and promotion of equal opportunities.
- The provision of practical, simple and free resources to enhance this guidance.
- A technological tool that facilitates their guidance work in an automated way, helping to have an impact on all year 10 and 11 students and provide them with study recommendations in line with their purpose in life, without the limited time available and the huge workload per professional being an obstacle.
About Endesa Foundation and FAD Youth Foundation
The main objective of the Endesa Foundation, chaired by Juan Sánchez-Calero, is to contribute to the promotion of talent and social development through educational, employment training, biodiversity, cultural and volunteering projects.
The Foundation's projects promote the appreciation and conservation of our past through common historical heritage and foster the present and future of our society through innovation and close collaboration with other third sector entities. With more than 20 years of experience, the Endesa Foundation helps illuminate the talent of the most vulnerable groups and sensitivity towards their demands in order to progress towards a society with more opportunities for all.
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More information: http://www.fundacionendesa.org/
Learn more at www.fundacionendesa.org
FAD, formerly the Foundation to Help Combat Drug Addiction, is now known as FAD Youth Foundation.
The FAD was founded in the 80s to help young people say NO to drugs. Over the following two decades, it began to work on aspects including but not limited to preventing and raising awareness of other psychosocial risks such as youth violence (peer-to-peer, gender, online, etc.), gender inequalities, online gambling involving minors, the abusive use of technology, disinformation, the promotion of diversity or combatting hate speech.
FAD now works with and on behalf of youths not only to help them avoid risks, but to take advantage of all their skills and opportunities.
More information about the project: