Question reference: S6W-09279
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 23 June 2022
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Current status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 July 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports women who have qualifications in STEM subjects to find employment in (a) teaching and (b) STEM-related industries.
Answer
The recruitment and deployment of teachers is a matter for individual local authorities, as they are responsible for using available resources to provide a complement of staff which meets the needs of each of their schools and its pupils based on local needs and priorities.
The Scottish Government has a number of ambitions to address the lack of women in STEM occupations and settings, such as schools. The Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning is also considering how best to ensure that girls and young women are able to freely choose activities, subjects and areas of study including those traditionally dominated by boys and men.
The Scottish Government recognises challenges in STEM teacher recruitment and continues to offer 150 bursaries of £20,000 for career changers, wishing to undertake a one year PGDE Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course that leads to the award of registered teacher status in the hardest to fill STEM subjects.
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) seeks to equip each individual with highly effective Career Management Skills which will empower them to proactively direct their career, as well as give them the ability to manage key transition points throughout their lives. SDS has a network of Careers Advisers working in every school in Scotland, as well as at SDS Careers Centres across the country.