Challenging Bias and Paving the Way for Women in STEM
The 2025 YoWIE program will again bring an enthusiastic group of school-aged girls to ʹڲƱ Canberra to learn about engineering.
Published on the 14 April 2025 by Georgia Hamon
A YoWIE participant learning about mechanical engineering by assembling a motor. Photo: ʹڲƱ Canberra
Women currently make up only 14% of the STEM industry, and for nine years, ʹڲƱ Canberra’s Young Women in Engineering (YoWIE) program has been playing an active role in supporting these numbers to grow.
YoWIE is a free, three-day workshop with hands-on activities, insightful keynote speakers, and opportunities for young women in years 9-12 to meet women from various engineering industries.
Last year, the Australian Government discontinued the Women in STEM Ambassador role, even with evidence suggesting there was a 38% increase in the number of women in STEM-qualified occupations throughout Lisa Harvey-Smith’s tenure. Despite these numbers, an Engineers Australia report surveyed participants who overwhelmingly stated that engineering lacked positive perceptions, was not seen as impactful or fulfilling, and remained a male-dominated field.
Each year, YoWIE encourages young women to consider careers in male-dominated STEM industries. With similar government initiatives being cut, programs like YoWIE are crucial to challenging societal and unconscious biases that discourage women from entering STEM fields.
Alberta Redgrove, a ʹڲƱ Canberra Mechanical Engineering alum, highlights the importance of programs like YoWIE in planting the idea of studying in STEM fields at university in young women's minds early on.
“The YoWIE program is incredibly valuable. Talking to senior women in engineering and lecturers in STEM can subtly challenge our own beliefs, especially those shaped by implicit gender bias,” Alberta said.
YoWIE participants learning about aircraft and the science behind flight. Photo: ʹڲƱ Canberra
Before commencing study at ʹڲƱ Canberra, Alberta didn’t initially consider gender imbalance when choosing her career, however, she quickly became aware she was one of only a few women in the room when classes commenced.
“At times, I felt like I didn’t belong in engineering, especially in my first year after university. Being the only female in a team felt isolating at times, and I struggled to have the confidence to speak up in meetings,” she said.
“Over time, I learned that this is something many people experience and that I had to start backing myself more. Now, I seldom notice if I’m the only woman in the room.”
The narrative around male-dominated careers needs to be changed from a young age, and YoWIE aims to combat any internalised doubts young women may face early in their lives.
"A program like YoWIE would have encouraged me to realise that making mistakes goes hand in hand with learning," Alberta said.
"When going through ʹڲƱ I struggled with imposter syndrome. It led to a self-limiting belief system that made me hesitant to ask for help when I needed it."
YoWIE participants learn the basics of workshop design skills and get exposed to working with tools and machinery. Photo: ʹڲƱ Canberra
Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering Technology and YoWIE co-chair Lily Qiao says that engineers are at the forefront of solving real-world problems, and highly employable come graduation.
“Engineers are essential for solving our biggest problems including climate change, water crises, even access to housing after natural disasters. Engineering graduates are ready for employment as soon as they graduate,” Lily said.
YoWIE will be held from Tuesday 15 April to Thursday 17 April 2025, at ʹڲƱ Canberra on Northcott Drive in Campbell.
More information on the YoWIE program can be found online.