WHY THIS PROJECT
. Ongoing challenge of enhancing the entrepreneurial spirit of young women in Europe, to increase business creation rates and provide alternative pathways of employability and their personal fulfilment
. STEM has been chosen as there is solid evidence that the fastest growing and highest wage jobs in future years will be in STEM fields
. Wide spread need for utilizing STEM skills for problem solving in a wide range of industries and they will increasingly become necessary to engage in a knowledge based economy
. Europe could face a shortage of up to 1 3 m skilled ICT workers by2020 according to the European Commission
3 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
. Promote a more engaging and equal environment where all youth, girls and young women in particular, can increase their STEM literacy levels
. Foster equal access to better careers and job opportunities in the STEM sector for young women
. Enhance employability and entrepreneurial skills of young women with a business idea in the STEM sector
OUT TARGET GROUPS(S)
. GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN (18 to 30 years of age) coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, early school leavers, migrant/immigrant background, facing social and economic exclusion, not in education/employment for a long time (at least 6 months) as well as from low or no income households and/or disadvantaged urban/rural areas.
. YOUTH WORKERS AND EDUCATORS , Youth workers, trainers, professionals belonging to partners, youth organizations, and other entities working with the young people
. EXPERTS and MENTORS coaches, assessors, mentors, instructors, HR specialists
HOW?
. Identifying new engaging ways to present STEM to women
. Preparing and testing a non formal learning program to support young women in increasing their skills and creating STEM start ups
. Equip a platform used to display talents & business ideas
. Offer an innovative approach for YOUTH services , with the possibility for certification and skills assessment at EU level
. Disseminate partial and complete outcomes
. Create a strong and varied support network
. Offer clearer information on how companies can support youth activities and contributing to better local services
provides opportunities of empowerment and development to young women affected by socioeconomic barriers, and inspire them to start a business in the STEM sector.
The high quality practical resources produced by the 4 partners in the FA ST consortium are used to increase a wide set of competences , necessary to compete in the actual labour market ( STEM literacy, soft and entrepreneur skills ) while offering a substantial and comprehensive support to those willing to start a business in the STEM sector (fast prototyping, business planning).
Women / business specific - social, cultural attitudes, lower levels of entrepreneurial skills , smaller and less effective entrepreneurial networks and policy frameworks; young women with a migrant background face barriers connected to their cultural background and often the language. Women / STEM specific - inequality in how men and women are treated in STEM jobs, minor encouragement from parents and teachers resulting in a shift of interest in fields in which they feel more confident lack of practical experiences during school, a lack of understanding of concrete applications that show what they could accomplish through training and professional paths in the STEM field
