Transition into STEM-TVET Related Jobs and Opportunities for Girls and Women in Africa

Abstract

PCF10 Sub-theme: Promoting Equity and Inclusion // The African continent has always been ravaged by the underrepresentation of women in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM-TVET)-Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) related jobs. This trend keeps widening even with the sustained efforts by stakeholders to increase girls’ and women’s enrollment in STEM-TVET. A recent baseline study carried out by COL- ATUPA in the CAWS-WITED Project indicates that most institutions do not have support for girls and women in education and transition into STEM-TVET-related jobs. This paper focuses on why and how to get more women involved in STEM-TVET-related jobs. To achieve this goal, data were collected from 40 respondents from a population of thirty (30) selected institutions from ATUPA member countries and ten (10) STEM-TVET organizations. The population was selected based on the home countries of the research team. The preliminary result shows that there is a low transition of girls and women into STEM-TVET-related jobs. The finding further suggests that the availability of female role models and mentors for girls and women is a key factor to increase the transition of girls and women into STEM-TVET-related jobs. // Paper ID 5379