Inspiring more girls to study STEM
A service club that aims to improve the lives of women and girls has partnered with Highlands College to encourage more girls to study male-dominated subjects.
Soroptimist International Jersey Charitable Trust is offering three bursaries of £1,500 to girls studying STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) courses after their GCSEs.
It is hoped that the bursaries will lead to more female students entering into the six technical areas of study at Highlands College that have historically been male dominated: automotive studies; building services; building trades; digital games development; information technology; and mechanical engineering and welding.
Highlands College Principal Jo Terry-Marchant said: “We are absolutely delighted that Soroptimist International Jersey has chosen to launch these STEM bursaries with Highlands College. The purpose of each bursary is to enhance the student’s learning experience, potentially through visits to other top-performing training institutions besides ourselves, or for the purchase of tailored digital resources. This really is a fabulous opportunity for three lucky students and we are truly grateful that Soroptimist International Jersey have chosen to partner with us in our mission to transform lives.”
Soroptimist International Jersey President Catherine Kirby said that, although businesses understood the importance of a diverse workforce, many girls did not believe a career in a STEM subject was for them.
“The club hopes these three STEM bursaries will encourage and enable increasing numbers of girls to take up the challenge of entering these still male-dominated areas of work, which will be of benefit to us all,” she said. “Since 1950 Soroptimist International Jersey have been committed to making our Island and the wider world a more equal place by ‘educating, enabling and empowering’ women and girls. We are part of an international women’s service club and together our members are a global voice for women with special consultative status at the United Nations through the UN Economic and Social Council.”
Anyone interested in applying for one of the three bursaries should register their interest with Catherine Kirby at soroptimistsjersey@gmail.com.