The SKILLBILL Project
The SKILLBILL project aims to revolutionise education and training in the field of renewable energy systems (RES) while addressing the critical issue of gender inequality in STEM. By identifying current education and training needs, SKILLBILL seeks to meet the demands of the labour market, increase participation in renewable energy and promote economic stability and equity. This article explores the importance of reducing the gender gap in STEM and how SKILLBILL is contributing to this goal through its various initiatives.
Understanding Gender and STEM
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These fields are integral to innovation and development but have historically been dominated by men. Gender refers to the social and cultural roles and expectations associated with men, women and other genders. This article focuses on women in STEM, emphasising the need to bridge the gender gap, including for trans women.
Women in STEM Education
Although more girls are attending school than ever before, they often lack the same opportunities as boys to pursue and excel in STEM education. Social norms and biases contribute to this disparity, resulting in women making up only 35% of STEM graduates—a figure that has remained stagnant for a decade. This underrepresentation is concerning, as STEM careers drive innovation, social wellbeing, inclusive growth and sustainable development.
SKILLBILL’s Research and Initiatives
SKILLBILL has the horizontal goal of reducing the gender gap in all its activities and reducing the gender gap in STEM. At SKILLBILL, we take the gender aspect into account in all project activities. For us, gender is not just another tick box in a Horizon Europe project. We don’t just want to talk about women in STEM, we want to talk about “gender in STEM”, because this is an issue that affects all genders – we try to include non-binary people, trans men and women and any person who identifies in a non-binary way.
At SKILLBILL, we take the gender aspect into account in all project activities.
In the report “Stakeholder map and good practises” (T2.1) as part of the joint stakeholder initiative (WP2), good practices for bridging the gender gap were recorded, among other things. For example, Vestas, a company specialising in wind turbines for sustainable energy solutions, focuses on education and offers a two-year graduate programme that attracts and trains new talent. In 2021, 67 new graduates (44% women) were taken on board. On top of the mapping of good practices our research team conducted 32 interviews with renewable energy stakeholders, with an equal proportion of male and female participants. More specifically, fourteen (14) of the thirty two (32) interviewees were women, while eleven (11) were men. The remaining seven (7) did not want to disclose personal data, so their gender was not specified. The report and interviews revealed that there is a gender skills gap at RES. The core elements to close the gap are: Promoting STEM education, targeted training and showing the examples of successful women in STEM/RES/energy sector. The Green Portal has a dedicated “Green Women “ section where we increase the value and participation of female talent in technology, innovation and scientific research and combat stereotypes and gender discrimination. With more than eighty (80) initiatives mapped, we aim to combat gender stereotypes, bias and discrimination and help women realise their full potential in all fields. SKILLBILL takes an inclusive approach that recognises the importance of gendering in STEM.
The Specialization School aims to have 40 % of women involved.
The SKILLBILL consortium is represented by 26 women and 24 men.
The vocational training programme (VET) has not yet been completed, but so far we have 39 participants, 20 of whom are women. The SKILLBILL consortium is represented by 26 women and 24 men. In our dissemination activities we use an inclusive language. At our final dissemination event we aim to have a gender balance in all our activities.
Conclusion
The SKILLBILL project underscores the necessity of increasing women’s participation in STEM. Women face significant barriers, including discrimination and inadequate professional support. SKILLBILL’s comprehensive approach, involving education, stakeholder collaboration and policy advocacy, aims to create a more inclusive and equitable RES sector. By bridging the gender gap, SKILLBILL contributes to a sustainable and innovative future, where women can achieve their full potential in STEM careers.
Sources
1. https://www.unesco.org/en/gender-equality/education/stem
