Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including women, can excel in STEM professions and should not be held back.
The UTS WiEIT team on UTS campus. Image: Bose Creative.
The Women in Engineering and IT (WiEIT) program at UTS has been actively working to promote gender diversity in STEM fields since 1981. Despite making some progress, gender inequality remains a significant issue in STEM, and WiEIT is addressing this problem through various outreach initiatives.
Through the help of Cognizant Australia, a global professional services company that joined the partnership in 2021, WiEIT have continued to provide avenues that will support diversity and create long-term change. Both organizations recognize the economic and social inefficiency of not tapping into the full talent pool in these critical areas.
WiEIT’s STEM X school outreach program is a key initiative that starts to target primary school students early. They recognize that these formative years are crucial in building STEM interest, confidence, and self-efficacy. They aim to change perceptions and build relationships, showing students that STEM is for everyone.
The STEM X Play program runs for about 2 months (6-8 weeks). Students engage in hands-on activities, learn about design thinking, build prototypes, and interact with role models from the industry. They believe that individuals from diverse backgrounds, including women, can excel in STEM professions as much as anyone else and should not be held back.
The WiEIT and Cognizant teams engaging with high school students at UTS campus. Image: Bose Creative.
Research shows that multiple interactions throughout a student's school years are needed to meaningfully increase interest and shift career perceptions, and the STEM X Impact program is designed to continue this engagement in Year 7 and 8. Students develop and test prototypes to solve real-world problems, receiving guidance and mentorship from professionals in the field.
WiEIT's efforts have received recognition and support, including a three-year grant from the federal government's Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship initiative. This grant will help WiEIT create a community of practice around its programs and teaching, partnering with other Australian universities to promote innovation in the sector.
Additionally, WiEIT is working on a new project to engage more closely with First Nations students, in partnership with Engineers Without Borders.
Long-term engagement with schools and communities has been made possible through the multi-year collaboration with Cognizant, allowing these programs to create a sustained impact on the next generation of STEM professionals and contributors.