Monster Confidenc­e: women in STEM careers

Monster and Stemettes’ Monster Confidence event saw keynote speakers such as internet entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox CBE and Kirstie Wilkins of Deloitte visit Here East for a day of inspiring talks and workshops for young women. Here East tenants Hobs 3D and Ford were also feature among the speakers.

Monster Confidence was the final event hosted as part of our Engineer Here programme and in support of the Year of Engineering.

Engineer Here involved a range of events hosted by Here East and partners, celebrating the world of engineering and showcasing the exciting growth of innovation taking place on the Here East campus and across the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Watch this space for information on further initiatives to come. 

Almost half of UK employees, 45%, believe women are underrepresented in tech and digital roles. In addition, only 11% of women pursued an IT and tech degree at university.

Monster.co.uk’s recent research confirmed that a lack of confidence in young women meant that less were likely to pursue a career in a typically male-dominated industry. Women are typically less confident in the workplace than men with 70% of women feeling unconfident at work.

Monster Confidence gave young women the chance to take part in speed mentoring with volunteers who have backgrounds in STEM so they could gain the confidence to pursue their chosen careers. Mock interviews with volunteers from HR and recruitment backgrounds also gave young women the opportunity to learn valuable interview and presenting techniques.

"Monster Confidence was a brilliant finale event to round-up our Engineer Here programme. Delivered with support from London Legacy Development Cooperation, 31% of the schools that engaged with the programme were from local boroughs surrounding the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Stemettes brought together a fantastic line-up of influential women who have built successful careers in STEM and truly inspired the young people in attendance. Both Monster Confidence and Engineer Here, provided us with a platform to showcase the exciting culture of collaboration and innovation happening at Here East."

-Jasel Nandha, Community & Partnerships Manager at Here East