#Kingston, July 5, 2019 – Jamaica – More of the nation’s women and girls are being encouraged to pursue academic studies and careers in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Minister of Science, Energy and
Technology, Hon. Fayval Williams, made the call at the launch of the Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Women in Engineering Affinity Group, at the
University of Technology’s (UTech) Papine Campus in St. Andrew on July 3. She said the Government is on a journey to
transform the nation and improve the lives of citizens through science and technology.
“Along this journey, we will need
engineers, software developers, scientists, cyber specialists, roboticists and
a whole host of other professionals, and our women must not feel daunted to
join these fields,” she said.
Mrs. Williams noted that for many
years, men have outnumbered women in STEM, and in many cases, when women enter
these fields the attrition rate is high.
She said the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) has indicated that women are consistently under-represented in
engineering and related fields, making up just 19 per cent of engineers in
Canada, Germany and the United States.
She noted that locally, the
number of females enrolled in engineering at the University of the West Indies
(UWI) stood at approximately 10 per cent in 2015/16; while approximately 18 per
cent were enrolled at UTech for the same period.
“We cannot afford to have distinctions between
men and women, as we need both males and females in all areas of industry. In
the age of the fourth industrial revolution, we can no longer afford
disparities between males and females in the STEM fields, whether at the academic
or the professional level,” she said.
Mrs. Williams said that the time
has come to change the narrative and perception surrounding these fields, and
engineering in particular.
“We
must embrace diversity and inclusivity of both sexes if we are to advance as a
country in the digital age. Regardless
of sex or gender, everyone can contribute greatly towards building this great
nation, and thus everyone should have an equal space at the table,” she said.
“I believe that our girls and
women have a strong place in engineering.
I believe that they possess tremendous knowledge that when harnessed,
can contribute to building a strong Jamaica,” she added.
Contact: Chris Patterson
Release: JIS
Photo Caption: Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Fayval Williams addressing the launch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) Women in Engineering Affinity Group, at the University of Technology’s (UTech) Papine Campus in St. Andrew on July 3.
Photographer: Donald De La Haye