One of the aspects that are evaluated when studying the economic development of a country is the impact of technology on education. That is, how much has been invested in technological resources, how they have improved educational quality and what measures have been taken to make them accessible to all. The integration of technology in education has been aimed at improving the teaching-learning process to create more competitive societies, as well as promoting interest in the development of scientific knowledge and technological innovations.
Now, what happens when this is analyzed from the female point of view? Historically, the role of women in the labor field has not had important participation, especially in scientific and technological development, since it is not presented as a study option where they can enter into equal conditions with their peers.
What is the panorama of women in the field of scientific and technological development?
Today, only 33% of people who dedicate themselves to science in Mexico are women, according to figures from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). A gender gap like this requires, on the one hand, that women’s interest in pursuing science, technology, and mathematics careers be further promoted, and, on the other, that there be constitutionally equal opportunities in these areas.
Based on the National Occupation and Employment Survey, only about 19% of female engineers were actively working in 2019, compared to more than 80% of men who were. In turn, within the careers with the lowest percentage of employed professional women, there were electronics and automation, motor vehicle, ship and aircraft engineering, and electricity and power generation.
This lack of opportunities is because a conservative thought persists in much of society that confines the role of women in the workplace only to careers related to education, the humanities, the arts, and the social sciences, denying them the possibility of exploiting their abilities to enter the productive sectors.
For more women to enter areas of innovation and technological development, it is necessary to overcome the old social prejudices that bind this field of knowledge exclusively to men, which, unfortunately, seem to prevail over the efforts made by companies and governments to include more women in their scientific and research teams.
What is being done to encourage the participation of women in technological innovation and development?
The impact of technology on education has allowed the development of knowledge in these subjects to grow and for education to reach vulnerable populations, including women, who little by little are excelling in disciplines such as engineering, computing, robotics, or science. of data, due to initiatives that recognize and enhance their abilities to study professional careers focused on science and technology.
In this scenario, universities play an important role in encouraging and promoting technological development among women. There are institutions, such as CETYS University, that have scholarships from the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) for those students who want to continue their postgraduate studies in engineering and innovation master’s degrees. In addition, the promotion of science, entrepreneurship, and technology fairs is an opportunity for both university students and high school students to develop their ideas and be motivated to continue venturing into this field.
