Balancing the equation: A mentoring program for first year female students

Abstract

Women are under-represented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines internationally. For example, in the USA females are estimated to represent only 24% of this workforce and the proportion of females employed in these careers is half the number of female graduates. Furthermore, women who have advanced degrees in these disciplines are far more likely to leave related occupations than women in other professions. In Australia, within the Prime STEM disciplines - which include chemistry - only 33% of graduates are female and only 12% of the associated workforce is female. <br/> A 2013 report from the Australian Council of Learned Academies includes two key findings; the use of mentoring programs, and course and career counselling to effectively encourage young women to follow STEM career pathways. In 2015 a project that is designed to assist first year female students to make a successful transition to an ongoing career in these fields is being implemented at a regional Australian university. There are two key objectives. Firstly, to identify issues that students perceive as possible hurdles to a successful progression through their studies and onto a career in these disciplines. Secondly, to provide a multifaceted mentoring program that will assist in recognising, understanding and addressing potential issues and roadblocks to a sustained and successful career, help build confidence in pursuing career goals, and support the development of sound decision making skills in career planning. <br/> The program targets first year female on-campus and distance students as they make the transition to higher education, thereby laying the foundations for these women to make appropriate and effective choices in pursuing and achieving their career goals during and after university. With a particular focus on chemistry, this presentation will describe the key elements and outcomes of this project.