Only 15% women in STEM careers: AbbVie and Research Australia launch program to empower next-gen leaders

Pharma News: In a bid to bridge the gender gap in STEM careers, Research Australia in partnership with AbbVie, has unveiled an initiative called The Future Health Leaders Program. This endeavour aims to bolster the representation of young women in life sciences, addressing the disparity between female enrolment in STEM courses and their actual presence in STEM-qualified professions.

The Australian Government’s 2023 STEM Equity Monitor highlights a promising trend in education, with female students in Year 12 nearly matching their male counterparts in opting for science and math subjects. Furthermore, over a third of university students pursuing STEM fields are women. However, despite this progress, women currently make up only 15% of the STEM-qualified workforce, a marginal increase from 10% two decades ago.

Research Australia CEO, Nadia Levin, emphasised the importance of this initiative at the program launch in Canberra, supported by Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney and Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Anne Ruston. She stated “Supporting the next generation of women in life sciences is not just a matter of equality. Diversity of gender encourages diversity of thought, an integral element of successful innovation.”

Ms Levin added, “At Research Australia, we are committed to nurturing a diverse and inclusive health and medical research workforce. This is why we are proud to collaborate with our sponsor, AbbVie, to introduce the Future Health Leaders Program.”

The program aims to equip young women with exposure to varied career opportunities within life sciences and foster a passion for health and medical research during a crucial period of transition from high school to tertiary education and beyond.

AbbVie Australia and New Zealand Vice President and General Manager, Nathalie McNeil, echoed Ms Levin’s sentiments, emphasising the role of visibility in inspiring future female leaders.

“You can’t be what you can’t see. Women and girls remain underrepresented in science careers despite their growing engagement in STEM secondary education. By providing strong role models, mentors and consistent exposure to science, we can encourage young women into STEM career pathways.

“AbbVie has a long history of supporting women regardless of their life stage and has been a long standing Employer of Choice for Gender Equality. We are proud to work alongside Research Australia to deliver this important intervention to connect and support the next generation of world-leading female researchers, innovators and policy makers,” Ms McNeil stated.

In July 2023 the Federal Government’s Women for STEM Ambassador released a systemic review of gender equity initiatives in Australia with recommendations on effectively implementing programmes in STEM workforce. The report revealed three key recommendations: 1) Gender equity initiatives are most effective when policies and programmes are implemented together; 2) Central coordination of gender equity initiatives leads to effective management, longevity, and resource maximisation; and, 3) Gender equity initiatives need to be evaluated to assess how well they work.

The Future Health Leaders Program, slated to commence in 2024, will select up to twelve female students from across Australia in Year 11. The program aims to offer a single-day session focusing on showcasing diverse career pathways within health and medical research. The event will facilitate interactions with accomplished female leaders in these fields, inspiring participants and creating networking opportunities beyond the program itself.

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