History
Under the chairmanship of Baroness Platt, the 1984 Equal Opportunities Commission expressed that: “The engineering industry can no longer afford to neglect the talent and ability which women have to offer”. In response to the extremely low representation of women in science and engineering careers, Baroness Platt collaborated with the Engineering Council to create WISE ’84, or the year of women into Science and Engineering. The one-year project proved to be very successful, garnering the support of multinational companies such as Centrica and becoming an ongoing nationwide campaign that celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2009.
WISE Buses make a major impact
In 1987 the [then] Director Marie-Noëlle Barton introduced the five signature WISE buses. These were launched by Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister, at No. 10 Downing Street, and offered the opportunity for girls to take part in practical experiments in physics, mathematics and technology onboard the bus. This, and other activities, impressed Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, and she became Royal Patron of WISE. She has been a loyal supporter of the organisation and a regular visitor to its events ever since.
Doing things differently
A quarter of a century after its launch, WISE is still going strong. Along with its regional committee network active in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, WISE looks forward to tackling the challenges facing girls interested in STEM and Construction careers.
An example of WISE’s fresh approach can be seen in the ‘Postcards from the Future’ Graphic Novels, which showcase STEM and Construction themes using the manga comic style popular with young people today. This style has proved to be a hit with target audiences, capturing young girls’ imagination and reframing engineering and construction apprenticeships as attractive and relevant.
The WISE Mind Maps also communicate in a new way to girls, visually exploring the wealth of career opportunities in the Natural World, Physics, Engineering, and Mobile Technology.
Reaching out to industry
WISE has also influenced industry to do things differently. It has teamed up with the Royal Navy and RAF to deliver week-long work experience events for girls, the first of their kind. These have proved extremely popular amongst girls, with many wanting to come back for more.
Things are changing - today 13% of engineering undergraduates are women, compared to only 4% twenty years ago. Even so, there is still much to do to encourage more talented young girls to pursue STEM careers and address the gender imbalance in the classroom and workplace.
