Category: Initiative
Area: Stereotyping
Place/Country: The Netherlands
Date: Originally launched in 2010 (still ongoing)
Institutions involved:
- Local Schools and Companies focusing in beta science, technology and IT
- Organized by VHTO (a Dutch national expert organization dealing with educational gender programs and projects)
Target group: The whole chain of education (& the labor market)
Goals / Objectives /Aims:
Encouraging young girls to participate in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field, by organizing annual visits in specialized companies and institutions. The main aim is the growing of girls’ and women’s participation on that field, by breaking the stereotype that this is a men dominant area of expertise.
Content / Structure / Description including strengthening action competence
On National Girls’ Day, thousands of girls across the Netherlands visit IT, Tech and Science companies to come in contact with different STEM sectors, as a way to increase the chance of choosing a professional career within these industries. Girls are getting familiar with the daily practice of technical work fields and they participate in interactive workshops and tours with female IT experts and employees, while discussing openly with them about career opportunities (speed-dating sessions).
Results / Responses → Resulting Competences:
Every year, more and more girls are enthusiastic to learn deeply about STEM field, whereas the number of prospective female STEM students is increasing. On this year’s “Girls’ Day” (March 2023) 9000 girls and more than 250 companies participated in this important initiative.
Feedback / Evaluation of the practice:
An ever increasing number of girls in secondary education or pre‑university opt for a science subject profession. Undoubtedly, the practice did have a positive impact.
Link to the source:
