Currently, fewer than 10% of the engineering workforce are women, and with a large skills gap in the sector looming, and the additional need for a more diverse workforce, it has never been more important to encourage girls to choose a career in in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM). It is hoped that that the event will highlight awareness of the gender gap in science and enable girls to understand at an early age that technology can be rewarding, can be fun, can be social and that having a background in technology will help them solve the world’s problems more easily.
WiRED will enable Year 10 and Year 11 students to experience the exciting creative aspects of both engineering and digital technologies, as well as to hear inspirational talks by women in these fields. It will also showcase that within a University environment, there is a diversity of possible engineering and technological careers.
The Partnership Development Office are kindly supporting the event, and to-date, two schools have signed up: The Thomas Aveling School in Rochester and St. John Fisher Catholic School in Chatham. Twenty places are still available and further details regarding WiRED can be accessed here.