How can we attract and retain women in STEM?
life sciences
life sciences
Creating clear pathways and inclusive workplaces for women in STEM is a powerful way to embrace equity and promote gender diversity within the Life Sciences industry. Brunel Australasia’s Business Manager of Life Sciences Deirdre Perkins draws on three decades of experience working in STEM and STEM recruitment to offer valuable advice on what recruiters can do to help more women thrive in STEM careers.
I’ve worked in STEM and STEM recruitment for almost 35 years. Throughout that time, I have certainly seen favourable changes for women in the STEM environment; however, we still have a long way to go in achieving gender equality.
Throughout my career, I have seen increased representation of women in STEM roles in the workplace, especially in senior leadership roles. I’ve also seen improvements in flexibility in the workplace, and in polices that support working mums, such as paid parental leave.
When I started out as a research chemist in a global pharmaceutical company, I was excited by the opportunity to work on cutting-edge research and the development of new drugs. I was surrounded by a mixture of males and females working on benches, all wearing white coats. I reported to a male laboratory manager, who reported to a male technical director, who reported to a male operations manager, who reported to a male vice president. That was how it was. There were some very experienced and talented females working beside me, but there certainly weren’t any females in supervisory roles, let alone managerial roles.
Today I celebrate our progress; it has taken a lot of effort from both females and males to get to where we are. But we’re still not where we should be. Globally, women hold only two in every 10 science, engineering and information and communication technology jobs. It’s important to continue the efforts to address gender bias, promote diversity and inclusion and support women in STEM.
Working in STEM recruitment, I feel very lucky to be in a role that allows me to influence some of these changes on a daily basis. Based on my years in the industry dealing with countless recruiters, employers and candidates, here are some practical tips I can offer that will help remove barriers for women entering – and remaining – in STEM careers.
No matter what role you are in or what gender you identify as, I encourage you to take every opportunity you can to foster inclusive working environments, encourage diversity in leadership, and advocate for chang