Summer Camp To Attract Women To STEM

We hope our engineering distance learning courses appeal to everyone, and have always been keen to ensure women feel comfortable taking them.

Women have been under-represented in Science, Technology, Maths and Engineering (STEM) for a number of years now, despite out-performing boys at GCSE level. One of the reasons behind low uptake of relevant degrees by women is the low number who take up science and maths at A-Levels.

There have been a number of attempts over the years to promote STEM-relevant A-Levels to girls, and similar schemes exist across the world to encourage more women to consider engineering as a potential career path.

One of the latest developments has been a summer camp aimed at teenage girls, where they will learn more about applied maths and physics, in order to give them the confidence to apply for the subject at degree level.

"So many times, girls at this age are not pushed toward this career path. I want them to have a can-do attitude," says Kim Higgins, assistant to the dean of the college of engineering at the University of Evansville. "They can do anything the boys can do."

The girls will carry out a range of tasks as part of the camp, as well as meet a wide range of people who are involved in the engineering industy.

All aspects of engineering are covered include mechanical, computer, electrical and civil, to give the girls who are involved a good idea of where their studies could take them, she adds.