Bridging the STEM gap

10 ways parents can encourage girls in STEM

The involvement of family, especially parents, in STEM learning is
invaluable in providing support for girls engaging in STEM experiences.

STEM is for everyone. Despite the tremendous gains that girls and women have made in education and the workforce over the past century, reports show that women are still under represented in STEM jobs and careers, particularly engineering, computer science and mathematics. For example in 2020, women made up 13% of all STEM-qualified occupations.

Families can inspire a love of STEM

The involvement of family, especially parents, in STEM learning is invaluable in providing support for girls engaging in STEM experiences. However, the role of parents in influencing subject and career choices is often overlooked.

If you have a STEM-interested girl in mind, here are some practical ways you can help them engage in these exciting areas.

Cultivate a growth mindset in your children
Introduce her to engineering and computing
Encourage your child to pursue mathematics
Provide her with opportunities to tinker, take things apart, and put them back together
Encourage your children to develop their spatial skills
Spread the word about girls' and women's achievements in math and science
Help her find a role model
Show her how STEM impacts the world
Give her experience! Find a STEM summer camp, or an after-school club
Most importantly, make it fun!

Small but significant steps will build a solid future for your children, so get started talking about math and science today!