兔子先生

What does STEM mean?

The acronym STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and refers both to the subjects taught in schools and universities as well as careers in those areas. The corresponding acronym in the German language is MINT.

Women in STEM subjects: The status quo

The labor market in Germany has long suffered from a shortage of experts in a number of fields, and the situation is no different for the STEM disciplines. Business associations and trade unions are warning of an increasing shortage of qualified workers in these areas. Nevertheless, it is still the case that significantly fewer women than men study STEM subjects at school 鈥� and are consequently underrepresented in such professions on the labor market.

Women studying STEM subjects

The numbers speak for themselves: More men study STEM subjects than women. A look back at the last 15 years, though, shows an increase in the number of women entering the STEM subjects. According to Destatis, Germany鈥檚 federal statistical office, their number almost doubled from 2008 to 2022, from 59,599 to 106,976, rising from 30.5 percent of all students in STEM subjects to 35.1 percent. By comparison, women made up 52 percent of all those entering university in 2022.

There are, however, significant discrepancies between the STEM subjects, according to Destatis. The highest share of women, at 87 percent, was found in interior architecture, with the lowest in vehicle engineering (8 percent). In information technology, the share of women among students beginning their studies was just below 23 percent.

Women in STEM careers

Many women who complete their studies in STEM subject don鈥檛 go on to work in STEM careers. That is the finding of a 2022 study conducted by the Institute for Employment Research. Accordingly, 70 percent of men with a degree in a STEM subject held at least one job in a STEM career in the five years after completing their studies. The corresponding share for women was just 56 percent. The number of women going on to work in a STEM job is thus relatively low.

The reason, according to the study, is the lack of role models in such careers combined with unclear career plans. On top of that comes the theory that women are simply uninterested in careers as mathematicians and technicians, an idea supported by a longitudinal study which has determined that men prefer working with objects in their careers while women would rather work with people.

Grants and support programmes for women in STEM subjects

Attractive salaries and exciting jobs are a hallmark of STEM careers. Numerous positions remain unfilled and the sector鈥檚 unrealised potential is significant. The shortage of experts, particularly women, is particularly serious in the field of computer science, according to Germany鈥檚 Federal Employment Agency.

To address the lack, there are now a number of initiatives from business and politics that are focused on attracting more women to STEM professions. Funding opportunities, various programs and other projects are designed to promote equal career opportunities and show young women the diverse career prospects in the field. The following list includes a few examples:

• 鈥淜omm, mach MINT鈥� and MINTvernetzt
• Girls鈥� Day
• Grants
• Networking initiatives

鈥淜omm, mach MINT鈥� and MINTvernetzt

The 鈥淜omm, mach MINT鈥� initiative is aimed at young women on the eve of their university studies and those who have just finished their studies and are about to enter the job market, informing them of STEM study programs and careers. Though the program itself ended in August 2021, the website (German only) has developed into a central repository of valuable information and is thus still online.

In addition to informational material on choosing a career, it also includes experience reports and interviews in which working women demonstrate how diverse STEM careers can be. The project has also published career guidance brochures to help young women on the search for a suitable course of study. Teachers, meanwhile, can find lesson plans, information on competitions and opportunities for hands-on practice in the download section.

An additional STEM resource is MINTvernetzt (German only), which seeks to bring together the STEM community across Germany. The network鈥檚 aim is to promote STEM education in Germany, with a focus on promoting women in STEM professions.

Initiatives for networking women in STEM professions

A good network is at least as valuable for young women in science as it is for prospective female entrepreneurs. With this in mind, several initiatives have been launched to bring together women in STEM professions.

• One example of such a project is the Deutsche Ingenieurinnenbund e.V. (German only) for women in engineering. The association holds a conference each year with exhibits and lectures aimed at bringing together the community of women in engineering.
• For women in computer science professions, there is the Fachgruppe Frauen und Informatik (German only) from the German Informatics Society. The group offers networking possibilities along with useful information regarding upcoming events.
• Other STEM networks include the Femtec (German only) university career centre in Berlin and the international Women in Technology (WITI) network, both of which also hold events.

Career prospects in STEM: Plenty of room for improvement

Support for women in STEM professions is a hot topic and plenty of progress has been made. But in view of the general shortage of skilled workers in the STEM sector, there is still plenty of room for improvement. There are many career opportunities for women, in particular, as many employers aren鈥檛 just looking for skilled workers, but are increasingly looking to fill previously male-dominated teams with an equitable mix of men and women.