Despite some progress in recent years, the marked imbalance of gender in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remains an issue, impacting both education and industry.
Currently, only 35% of girls continue to study STEM subjects beyond GCSE, compared to 80% of boys. At degree level, just 27% of STEM graduates are women – plunging to just 19% for rapidly growing fields like engineering, technology and computer science. Whilst, in industry, women constitute just 26% of the STEM workforce.
Encouraging more girls into STEM has many benefits, including closing the UK skills gap and boosting the UK’s labour value by over £2bn. A key part of the solution is increasing the visibility of women role models - Microsoft research indicates that girls' interest in STEM careers doubles when they have relatable role models to aspire to.
ExpHand Founder Kate Allan is part of a network of over 200 Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award winners who are actively challenging stereotypes in innovation.
Inspiring pupils into STEM
In November last year, Kate visited a school in Leicester to support their ‘Aspirational - Make a Difference’ curriculum which inspires to deliver purposeful learning. ExpHand joined forces with the school to enhance their Design & Technology project on mechanical devices. Over a number of weeks, the children adapted our existing prosthetic design, using their maths skills to create scale drawings and exploring the mechanics of how various prosthetics worked. Kate then visited the school to talk to students about choosing STEM subjects, the prosthetics ExpHand makes and the community we are so proud to support.
"If children explicitly understand why they are learning something, or they recognise how that knowledge connects and can make a difference in the outside world, then it gives their learning a genuine purpose, which in turn provides them with a greater focus and better engagement in their learning. Our children are being introduced to various careers and skills, which will help to prepare them for their future."
Kate Solomons, Year 4 Teacher and Careers & Aspirations Lead at the Merton
As an Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award winner, Kate was also invited back to her former school to deliver assemblies and workshops to show the students that anyone, regardless of gender, can change the world through innovation.
During the event, Innovate UK also unveiled a Purple Plaque to celebrate Kate's achievements. Now mounted on Wolverhampton High School's walls, the plaque serves as a lasting source of inspiration, reinforcing the message that innovation is not confined by gender boundaries.
We are extremely proud to be part of a campaign that prompts discussions about innovation within schools and outside in the wider community. We are committed to celebrating and championing the contribution of women in innovation, and welcome opportunities to encourage girls in STEM.
Credits: Innovate UK and The Merton Primary School.
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