Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any steps her Department are taking to support women working in science, technology, engineering and mathematic sectors.
Minister for the Economy: I am committed to ensuring that everyone can access good jobs including opportunities for women to access careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). My Department supports this through both improvements to employment and a range of skills pathways, to foster a more inclusive, supportive, and adaptable workplace culture, where women are empowered to balance their professional and personal responsibilities with confidence.
The Skills Fund Inclusive Futures programme is supporting BRAVE Women in STEM delivered by Ulster University, this project engages females employed within the STEM sector encouraging diverse perspectives that will benefit decision-making, encourage leadership and innovation. To date over seventy females have engaged in the project.
The Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund specifically promotes uptake from three underrepresented groups across apprenticeship programmes, including women with two projects targeting low female representation in sectors like construction, engineering and mechanics as well as greater female participation in software apprenticeships. Both projects run until late summer 2026 and will be evaluated to inform future apprenticeships policy.
While women now make up the majority of higher education students overall, I recognise that significant imbalances persist in STEM subjects. I recently consulted on a Review of Approach to Widening Participation in Higher Education, which includes proposals for support for gender imbalance, particularly women in STEM.
As part of the Magee Expansion’s Widening Participation Action Plan, a STEM Pathways to Learning programme will be established to raise early awareness of STEM subjects and careers. The initiative will aim to strengthen the pipeline of underrepresented learners into Higher Education, particularly girls from socially and economically disadvantaged areas in the North West, by supporting their future progression into STEM education and training.
My Employment Bill will provide many positive benefits for women by enhancing rights which support work life balance including:
The right to request flexible working will be a right from day one of employment. Additionally, employees will be able to make two statutory requests for flexible working within a twelve-month period, instead of just one. These legislative changes will encourage employers to proactively integrate flexibility into job design from the outset.
Unpaid carer’s leave will support many women managing caregiving responsibilities for relatives.
Revisions to paternity leave will afford families greater flexibility and extending redundancy protections for pregnant employees and those returning from family leave will further strengthen workforce participation among women.
The right to move from a zero hours to a banded hours contract and enhanced trade union rights.
ENDS
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