INWED 2023 Comment: Removing educational barriers for female STEM learners with non-traditional qualifications

Encouraging and retaining women within STEM roles and education has been a challenge, not only because of cultural reasons but also due to other factors including previous educational attainments and experiences.

Within STEM, and in particular engineering, my initial market research found that there has been a gap in learners deemed the ‘missing middle’. This group of students are what we call within the education sector ‘Level 4 to 5’, or in other words those who are beyond school-leavers in terms of specialist skill development needed for high-level expertise, but prior to studying further specialist knowledge (such as with a bachelor’s degree or Level 6).

Engineering and manufacturing businesses, and the sector as a whole, struggle to understand what is needed for ‘the missing middle’; what a good quality offer looks like and what is available if learners don’t pursue the A-Level and degree route. This can create barriers for progression whether through educational pathways or within work, blocking talent from underrepresented groups, such as women or who have non-traditional experiences or qualifications, from entering STEM or upskilling.