The 11th of February, 2023 marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGIS). This week CreativeHUT were proud to take part in an action day hosted by award-winning charity Everton In The Community at Goodison Park to celebrate the role of women and girls in science with the goal of inspiring and engaging more female students to aspire towards careers in STEM.

Female students from four partner secondary schools and girls from the 41 Goodison programme (set up to give opportunities and make significant life changes for young people from eight to nineteen years old across Merseyside) were invited to take part in science-focused workshops and activities. During the event, hands-on activities and workshops were delivered by CreativeHUT, Astra Zeneca, The Royal Institution and Everton Football Club.

CreativeHUT Senior Education Manager Theresa Amann took all four groups through an activity exploring the laws of motion, working in teams to build and test concepts using LEGO® bricks & pieces. The teams took part in a competition to see who could build the fastest vehicle to travel down a ramp, using the principles of physics to test and adjust their creations throughout the session. 

“We are very impressed by the work Everton in the community does for young people, and couldn't be happier to be part of it! Many jobs of the future are unknown - therefore, helping young people to develop creative thinking, and problem-solving skills and working collaboratively is even more important now than ever. This is especially true for young women, whose opportunities in the field of science are still limited today.” - Theresa Amann, CreativeHUT.

Events like the IDWGIS are essential to breaking down the barriers that have traditionally prevented female students from pursuing careers in STEM fields. The CreativeHUT are dedicated to closing the STEM/STEAM gap for all students and are incredibly proud to work alongside like-minded companies like Everton in the Community in providing hands-on, interactive experiences that make science fun and accessible.

While progress has been made in recent times, there is still a significant gender gap in the field of science. Therefore more events like IDWGIS are needed to support and encourage the participation and success of women in these fields.

The statistics below show that the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields is a global issue and how important it is to address this issue:

• According to UNESCO , only around 30% of all female students select STEM-related fields in higher education.
• In the European Union, only 22% of researchers in STEM fields are women.
• In 2019, the World Economic Forum reported that just 22% of professionals in STEM fields globally are women.
• A report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that in most countries, fewer girls than boys study STEM subjects in high school
• In the technology sector, women hold only 25% of jobs, and this figure drops to just 5% for women in leadership positions.