Who are better at science in your class, girls or boys? Nowadays, girls start to show more interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects, according to a recent study by Cambridge Occupational Analysts (COA), UK.
In the study, last year, over 20,000 students who were in their final year in high school were surveyed. The number of girls considering university courses in STEM subjects has been larger than that of boys. Over a fifth of the girls surveyed said they were considering related jobs, such as engineering and technology. Interest has also risen in mechanical (机械学的) engineering, electrical engineering and the sciences.
This is an important change for women in the UK. In the past, there were not nearly as many women as men studying STEM subjects or working in STEM related fields. Only 13% of people who graduated from university with STEM degrees were women. Now, there are about 22%. In the past, only one eighth of the STEM jobs were held by women. This was partly because of the stereotype (刻板印象) that men are more suited to this work than women. Now it has been changed. Over 20% of the engineers are women in the UK.
In fact, STEM subjects are fun and exciting. ①Studying science can benefit (使……受益) girls. “It opens girls up to fascinating careers,” Niki Yates, manager of GSK’s UK Business, told The Daily Telegraph. ②She says it is important to encourage young women to do these jobs. They will receive higher pay in these areas. More women in work also helps the economy grow.