AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL SCIENCE AGENCY
The crucial role of maths and STEM success in young women
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When an Australian department store recently came under fire for selling a t-shirt with a slogan that reinforced outdated perceptions surrounding beauty and brains, it shone the spotlight on young women and maths and the ongoing messaging that could impact the next generations choices based on stereotypes and perceived ability. We explore what can be done to increase confidence and STEM capability.
We know young people’s engagement with STEM develops over time, shaped by a range of influences including gender, teacher support, familiarity with STEM and socioeconomic context.
For many young women, this is not a single decision point but an evolving journey involving confidence, identity, and a sense of belonging.
CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and the Human Technology Institute (HTI) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) collaborated on a BHP Foundation funded project to better understand the factors that shape STEM participation and identify which influences are most likely to drive long-term STEM engagement for young people.
The research identified maths confidence as a key factor influencing young women’s long-term engagement in STEM and one of the earliest opportunities for support. Strengthening maths confidence is associated with improvements across the pathway, including:
Australia’s future workforce will increasingly rely on STEM capability, and there is strong demand for people with these skills. Supporting more young women who are interested in STEM to pursue and sustain STEM pathways is an important part of meeting that need.
Broadening participation is not just about numbers, it ensures that more people can apply their skills and interests in STEM fields. This benefits individuals through expanded career opportunities and salary growth and strengthens organisations through diverse perspectives that can enhance problem-solving, collaboration, and innovation.
At age 15, students’ expectations about their future careers are among the strongest predictors of whether they go on to pursue STEM pathways.
Parents, caregivers, educators and communities can all play a role in supporting young women to explore maths, provide exposure to STEM opportunities and create a sense of belonging in the STEMosphere to ensure a fruitful STEM future.
Here are some ideas to ignite STEM interest:
1. Have the conversation, spark the curiosity
Use our STEM Conversation Toolkit: this free resource is for parents and carers of high school students (especially in years 7–10) who want to feel more confident talking about STEM with their child. It helps to spark everyday conversations about STEM and aims to give simple, practical ways to notice opportunities, ask questions and explore ideas.
2. Explore career development activities
Career development activities are linked to strong employment outcomes. Explore opportunities with mentors, career expos and programs on offer, some options include:
3. Practical activities
Making maths engaging, relevant, and connected to real life can strengthen confidence over time. Hands-on activities, achievable challenges, and supportive feedback all help students build capability and see progress. Some options to get started include exploring the Australian Maths Trust, which hosts programs such as this one for Young Australians.
4. Research what’s on offer
STEM is so much bigger than a stereotype, STEM careers are exciting and vast. View stories, resources and information on our #WithSTEMYouCan webpage. It has been developed to highlight the breadth of STEM careers and showcase the endless opportunities available through STEM studies and pathways regardless of experience or interests.
Here are some other useful articles:
#WithSTEMYouCan is proudly delivered by Generation STEM, a 10-year initiative to build a strong and more diverse STEM pipeline in NSW. Managed by CSIRO, the program is made possible by the NSW Government’s $25 million endowment to the Science and Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF).
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