NewsPhoto credit: King’s College London
Girls Into Electronics more than doubles its impact in 2023 with students participating from over 100 schools across the UK
The UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF), in collaboration with tech giant Apple, has just wrapped up a very successful Girls into Electronics 2023. This year’s programme saw more than double the number of female students participating, 465 compared to 230 in 2022.
Encouraging the next generation of female engineers as 85% of participants are inspired by electronics
The Girls into Electronics events, hosted by leading UK universities*, inspired the students attending and encouraged them to consider a career in Electronics. Girls from over 100 schools, right across the UK, attended. The initiative is part of the UKESF’s wider work to address the skills shortage in the Electronics sector, whilst also tackling the gender imbalance. In 2022, in recognition of our work, the UKESF was given a Princess Royal Training Award special commendation for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
We’re thrilled at the success of this year’s Girls into Electronics programme. To more than double the number of female students participating is an amazing achievement. The UKESF is also striving to improve diversity and inclusion in the Electronics sector so we’re also pleased to announce nearly half of the students participating were from ethnic minority backgrounds. We’d like to thank all the universities involved for hosting such brilliant events. And a special thank you to Apple for supporting the programme this year. Stewart Edmondson, Chief Executive Officer at UKESF
Girls into Electronics gives KS4 pupils and sixth formers the unique opportunity to develop their interest in Electronics. At the heart of the programme is a one-day event at a leading UK university. 97% thought the event at their host university was good or excellent During the day participants find out all about Electronics, studying the subject at university and enjoyed an opportunity to get hands on with electronics kits. The students hear from female graduates working in the Electronics sector and, this year, engineers from Apple also shared their experience working on hardware technology.
Education can be a powerful force for equity, and help provide young women with the tools and opportunity to pursue a rewarding career in engineering. We’re thrilled to have worked with the UKESF on this important initiative, encouraging more women from all backgrounds to study electronic engineering and increase diverse representation in the field. Mari-Anne Chiromo, Apple Inclusion and Diversity Partnerships Lead, EMEIA.
It was a fantastic event at Aston University and the girls loved it. Organisers were brilliant and all communications were effective. One of the girls is now considering switching from a dentistry pathway to an electronics course. So the whole team behind Girls into Electronics made a great impression – well done! Alistair Clarke, Teacher from Hamstead Hall Academy
Find out more about the UKESF’s Girls into Electronics programme here
*Participating universities: Aston University Birmingham – University of Bath – University of Bristol – Heriot Watt University – Imperial College London – King’s College London – Lancaster University – University of Leeds – University of Liverpool – Newcastle University – Nottingham University – Queen’s University Belfast – University of Sheffield – University of Southampton – University of Strathclyde Glasgow Royal – Holloway University of London
