Discussion on STEM at the Government Offices

At the end of November, representatives from Women in Tech Sweden and TechSverige gathered for a meeting with Maria Nilsson, State Secretary to Minister for Employment Johan Pehrson. As the government prepares to launch a STEM strategy (STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), the discussion focused on one of the tech industry’s most pressing challenges today: how to attract more women to STEM education programs and roles within the tech sector.

The Importance of Diversity in Tech

The conversation centered around the need for initiatives to encourage more women to pursue technical and scientific fields, ultimately enabling more women to work in the tech industry. The reasoning is both simple and vital: Sweden’s competitiveness depends on having a larger workforce in the tech sector. This requires more women, as they currently represent a small portion of the tech industry’s workforce.

“Diversity isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a must for innovation and growth. We need to show girls and women that STEM is not only for them but needs them.”
– Åsa Johansen, Director Women in Tech Sweden

Ideas to Attract More Women to Tech

During the meeting, Women in Tech Sweden and TechSverige presented several proposals aimed at inspiring more women to choose STEM education and, in the long run, create a more gender-equal tech sector:

• A skills boost for teachers, principals, and career advisors to better support women’s participation in tech
• A goal to increase the number of professionals with advanced digital skills by 100,000 by 2030
• Strengthened collaboration between businesses and municipalities, e.g., STEM internships and study visits for girls, mentorship programs with female role models in high schools, and women-focused networks in municipalities
• Supporting the education system in preparing children with the right skills to thrive in a connected society and careers in tech
• Increased funding per student for STEM programs at universities
• Updates to curricula and schedules in high school STEM programs, creating new course content and actively challenging gendered study choices to encourage girls to pursue STEM subjects. There were also calls for initiatives to increase completion rates at the post-secondary level.

Working Together for Change

Both Women in Tech Sweden and TechSverige emphasized the importance of moving beyond discussions to real action. The hope is that the government’s STEM strategy will include political measures that make it easier for businesses and educational institutions to promote women’s participation in STEM programs and the tech industry.