WISE, a campaign to encourage one million more women into the UK STEM workforce, and MMU are presenting the first in a series of events to improve the recruitment and retention of women in STEM professions. They will be joined by national STEM businesses who will share their strategies for achieving greater gender balance.

“The latest UK Labour Force statistics show that STEM professions only employ 14.4% women, less than 10% of whom are managers,” said Professor Lynn Martin, Associate Dean and Director of the Centre of Enterprise at Manchester Metropolitan University “There’s a critical skills shortage in STEM businesses; so it’s essential that firms don’t overlook half of the potential workforce and do everything in their power to make these jobs more attractive to females. This is not a women’s issue or a diversity issue – it’s a business imperative.”

WISE will present its new Ten Steps campaign, supported by leaders of 35 major STEM companies in the UK. This sets out an action plan that businesses can follow to boost the female talent pool.

Capgemini, which is a founder of the Ten Steps campaign and one of the few large technology companies with a female chair, will share its strategies for improving the gender balance among its workforce. Business leaders from construction and civil engineering company BAM Nuttall and clean energy business Amec Foster Wheeler will also speak about their successful campaigns to encourage female talent.

The event will present practical strategies and best practice that HR professionals and those responsible for recruitment, talent development and employee retention can employ to close the gender divide in STEM professions. 

To reserve tickets for the event contact [email protected]; www.mmucfe.co.uk/events/happening/wise-business-women-in-stem