by Jasmine Begum, Director, Corporate External & Legal Affairs, Microsoft Malaysia and Emerging Markets
Let’s think for a second, how many inventors can you name? How many of them are female? We asked these girls the same question – and they struggled. This exemplifies that there is a significant gender disparity in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) – where men greatly outnumber women in these industries – a symptom of many years of traditional attitudes which put women at a disadvantage.
According to the International Labour Organization, women are being awarded more than half of the university degrees in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCED) member countries in 2008 – but only 30% of these degrees are in science and technology. The percentage of female graduates becoming science and technology researchers is even lower – with less than 30% in most OCED countries, reaching a low of just 12% in Japan and Korea. Just last year, the World Economic Forum predicted that the gender gap will not be closed until 2133.
These findings demonstrate the growing concern of vast underrepresentation of women in STEM, especially for those who wish to realize their goals and ambitions in technology. This is despite evidence that women are doing as well as – if not better than – men in technology. Consider this: There are over 187 million women worldwide currently starting or running a business, and despite typically get one-eighth of the funding versus men, these businesses are seeing 12% higher revenues. In addition, technology companies are shown to have achieved a 34% higher ROI when they have more women in management.
Certainly, this disparity is alarming – and it’s no wonder that the lack of women in STEM is of concern. But there are, however, a few things that we can do to narrow the gender gap. The first vital step – to knock down gender barriers and encourage young women to join the STEM workforce. This entails cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment – promoting fairness for both genders in terms of learning opportunities.
When girls recognize that pursuing STEM endeavors is a viable option, only then would we see more women joining the STEM workforce – which in turn, has the potential to drive unprecedented innovation in the industry. Here’s how we can shrink the gender gap and level the playing field for women:
Engage girls in STEM education at an early age
The gender myth of boys being more hard-wired for science and math than girls has been busted many times, but this prejudice still continues to permeate our society.
Overcoming this perception can help girls develop an interest in STEM. To encourage their continuous engagement with the subjects while building up their self-confidence and self-esteem, girls should be given the same opportunity to study and pick up STEM topics as much as their male classmates.
For instance, in April last year, Microsoft Malaysia organized a week-long ‘Code for Malaysia’ campaign, in which we worked together with YCWA (Young Christian Women’s Association) Kuala Lumpur to teach coding to women and girls. Some 70 girls from underserved communities participated in coding sessions and discovered that coding really wasn’t as difficult as it’s made out to be.
We then carried the momentum into the ‘Hour of Code’ campaign in December, being the first country in Asia Pacific to launch the campaign by Microsoft Corp. and Code.org, aimed at broadening global participation in computer science. Hour of Code events spanning 247 locations across Malaysia saw more than 25,000 children, girls and youth participating and learning about coding. The global Hour of Code campaign was a tremendous success – as a result, more girls tried out computer science than in the last 70 years!
Encourage participation in STEM workshops
There is an increasing number of STEM workshops catered exclusively for girls which seek to equip them with tips and tricks on navigating the STEM fields. STEM workshops offer girls the opportunity to learn about careers in technology and participate in hands-on computer and technology workshops, acting as a catalyst to break the stereotype that the tech industry is dominated by men.
Connect with women in STEM
One of the first names that inevitably pops up when talking about women in STEM is Dato’ Yasmin Mahmood from the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC). A thoroughly inspiring role model for girls and women alike with a keen interest in the STEM field, the opportunity to meet a successful woman in STEM such as Yasmin, can offer better insights into her day-to-day life as a STEM professional, while addressing any misconceptions of working in the industry as a woman.
Work with a mentor in STEM industries
Mentorship is a great catalyst for shaping and guiding career development, be it imparting career knowledge or sharing on-the-job experiences. This also applies to girls and women looking to pursue a STEM career; having a mentor to serve as a role model can offer guidance for benefitting their long-term career advancement in the STEM industry. In this manner, women are also privy to invaluable insights that can help them overcome the gender imbalance in work environments, such as the engineering field.
At Microsoft, we’ve also started to connect youths with potential mentors at events such as “TechFemme”, held in September last year. These notable women, which include Nadira Yusoff, President of the Association of Bumiputera Women Entrepreneur Network Association Malaysia (WENA) and Eliza Noordin, the founder of Nashata, an apparel company that designs and produces modest active wear for women, addressed a crowd of 180 college students about opportunities in technology, changing perceptions, having a work-life balance and the impact women can bring in terms of productivity and diversity.
Be the women who make what’s next
Through workshops, networking events and mentorship programs, Microsoft also strives to support and nurture girls, women, and its female employees. Over the next three years, Microsoft will be investing US$75 million in community programs to increase access to computer science education for all youth, while working on ensuring greater diversity into the technology talent pipeline.
In celebration of International Women’s Day this year, we are calling on girls to get curious and #MakeWhatsNext in computer science—and to develop great ideas through technology. Spread the word and together, we can break barriers and make way for more women in STEM.