A STEAM-focused
programme for teenage girls
Starting
in September, a nonprofit will offer free STEAM education programmes to teenage
girls.
The
Girls in STEAM Academy seeks to close the gender gap in STEAM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) occupations. For this purpose,
the NGO unveiled its new initiatives for 2022, which are designed to encourage
young women between the ages of 14 and 18 to seek professions in the STEAM
sectors.
Girls
in STEAM Academy will host four further BridgeSTEAM 2022 programmes in the wake
of the two two-day BridgeSTEAM programmes that were held in Limassol and
Larnaca last year.
The
programme will be held in Nicosia on September 17 and 18 for females ages 14 to
16 at the PwC Experience Centre and on October 15 and 16 for older teens ages
17 to 18 at a location to be revealed soon.
The
workshop will also be offered to girls between the ages of 14 and 16 on
November 19 and 20 at Antwork in Limassol, and on December 3 and 4, at Youth
Makerspace in Larnaca.
"Although
girls exceed boys in terms of digital literacy, only 17% of students and
workers in ICT (Information and Communication Technology) professions in the EU
are female, and only 36% of STEM graduates are female.
According
to Girls in STEAM, gender norms that restrict girls from realising their full
potential are the main cause of this.
The
three stages of empowerment are the goals of the two-day BridgeSTEAM programme.
First, by helping them advance their knowledge in programming, robotics,
artificial intelligence, etc., and by letting them know about the job
opportunities in STEAM fields. Second, by putting them in touch with female
role models working in STEAM in Cyprus. The project will also provide
educational workshops on the Sustainable Development Goals of the United
Nations and career assistance from a reputable trainer (UN SDGs).