Bangalore, 17 February 2017 – The second edition of the Mastercard Girls in Tech research reveal that majority of girls in India prefer to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for a stable profession and satisfying remuneration. The study was conducted in December 2016 across 2,270 girls between the age group of 12 – 25 across six countries in Asia Pacific.
The research highlights that while gender gap in India still exists, there is greater acceptability amongst girls in choosing STEM subjects as a career choice with only 34 per cent of girls opting for non-STEM profession. As expected, parents were identified as the key barriers for girls to choose STEM subjects. 40 percent of the respondents felt that educational institutions can help improve the situation, by preparing female STEM undergraduates for STEM careers by way of offering more internship opportunities.
Further the research sheds light on the sentiments around career planning and job satisfaction amongst professionals and students studying STEM & non - STEM subjects in India. It signifies that a majority of STEM graduates were clear on their choice of career and decided to pursue the stream in college at 21 years of age. With a high job satisfaction, 68 per cent of STEM professionals found employment in less than 6 months as against non-STEM professionals who took a year to decide on their career choice. It was also ascertained that these non – STEM professionals indicated a 33 per cent lower job satisfaction.
“The results of the research show us that STEM as a field of study and a career choice is one that is not only fulfilling, but it has the depth and breadth to satisfy first job seekers. However, while the results are encouraging, they highlight some deeply held misconceptions by young girls and young women with regards to the study and pursuit of STEM – they still believe it’s a man’s world in STEM and that the path is difficult. In fact, careers in STEM afford women the opportunity to positively impact the world through their leadership and creativity. To build future generations of women leaders in STEM, we must continue to inspire, engage and cultivate an interest in STEM among girls at an early age,” said Georgette Tan, Senior Vice President, Communications, Asia Pacific, Mastercard.
Key findings of the research:
Attitude towards STEM:
· India has a slightly higher participation of STEM in school among 15-19 year olds (66 per cent) compared to the regional average (60 per cent). Main reasons for pursuing STEM studies are performance in the subjects, higher salary in future, and passion for STEM
· Self-appraised interest and performance in STEM subjects are indicators of intention to study STEM in future. STEM intenders rated themselves higher in both interest and performance in STEM subjects compared to non-STEM intenders
STEM as a career:
· Indian girls who are currently studying or intending to study STEM have strong desires to work in STEM -of those aged 15-19, about 80 per cent of STEM intenders or majors are planning to work in STEM after completing their studies
· They are drawn to the opportunities for career advancement and continuous learning offered by a STEM career
· When considering a career path, suitability for women is rated less important than interest level and job security
The second edition of the Girls in Tech study by Mastercard has for the first time included first jobbers who are recent STEM graduates – in both STEM and non-STEM careers – in its survey pool, hoping to continue to use these insights to help its efforts in attracting more young girls and women to pursue STEM careers. The study adds to ongoing efforts in STEM by the company, complemented by its successful signature Girls4Tech education program, where employees are engaged as role models and mentors, to showcase Mastercard’s innovative payment technology and demonstrate the value of STEM-related subjects and careers through various exercises. The hands-on, inquiry based program was created by the company’s top engineers and technologists, and has in the past year rolled out to markets in Asia Pacific such as Australia, India, China and Singapore.
Methodology
The Mastercard ‘Girls in Tech’ research was conducted via an online survey with 2,270 girls aged 12-25 years old in six countries (Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore) in Asia Pacific. The interviews were conducted in December 2016 with parental consent for minors.
About Mastercard
Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MastercardIndia and @MastercardAP join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
