In international women's day week, equal opportunities in the labour market need to be a prominent theme. Increasingly prominent, the STEM professions illustrate the scenario of gender inequality and point out paths of change. Learn more about these professions and learn how Neoenergia acts to stimulate the female presence in them:
What is STEM?
STEM is the acronym formed by the initials of the words Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics by their Acronyms in English, also known as STEM areas by Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
STEM education is a method that proposes a teaching focused on these four disciplines, integrated in an innovative interdisciplinary approach. In it, there is the integrated teaching of the subjects among themselves and with the "real world", which helps to make teaching more interesting for students, as opposed to traditional teaching methods.
What is the importance of STEM?
Efforts to promote STEM education are a response to a market need: the industry suffers from the lack of skilled professionals in these areas.
With a policy of fostering STEM education since primary, elementary and high school, it is natural that students' interest in courses in these areas will increase. Initiatives can also be a way to promote equal opportunities for the population, a problem that stands out in the subject.
Gender inequality in STEM professions
In universities, women represent only 35% of students enrolled in these fields – the percentage is even lower in engineering (production, civil and industrial) and technology, not reaching 28% of the total.
"It's a worrying picture, especially since these areas are generating more job opportunities," says Adriana Carvalho, un women's manager for women's economic empowerment principles. It is not possible to advance gender equality without looking at the gap in such promising careers," carvalho added.
Promoting the development of women in STEM areas
Neoenergia carries out several initiatives to support the professional development of women in STEM areas and move towards equal opportunities. The expansion of opportunities for women is aligned with Neoenergia's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially number 5, on gender equality.
School of Electricians
In August 2019, the School of Electricians for women was launched in Bahia and Pernambuco, with the aim of promoting female insertion in a profession occupied predominantly by men.
In the face of the crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic, Neoenergia increased by 60% the job opportunities aimed at students of the project. In 2021, the company hired about 1,600 professionals trained by the School of Electricians, an initiative promoted by the group's distributors to offer free training to residents of its concession areas – Neoenergia Coelba (BA), Neoenergia Pernambuco (PE), Neoenergia Cosern (RN), Neoenergia Elektro (SP and MS) and Neoenergia Brasília (DF).
In 2021, with the acquisition of Neoenergia Brasília, in March, the Federal District began to be contemplated with the project. By 2022, 5,300 professionals from various areas will be completed, including students trained by the School of Electricians.
IMPACTÔ WOMEN AND INSPIRE AWARD
Nagai Association - Benefited from the Impactô Program
The Neoenergia Institute launched two projects this year to enhance women's leadership initiatives: the Women Impactô and the Inspire Award. Impactô is a social acceleration project carried out in partnership with the Ekloos Institute, which had for the first time an edition focused exclusively on NGOs and social businesses that had women as main managers, founders or co-founders, benefiting institutions from five states: Bahia, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Paraná and Piauí.
The Inspirar Award was created to recognize women who promote social transformation through art and culture in peripheral communities located in the municipalities of Rio de Janeiro, Baixada Fluminense (RJ) and the state of Pernambuco (PE).
Gender empowerment projects were awarded, such as Redes da Maré, which is dedicated to producing knowledge, through actions to formulate public rights and policies that improve the lives of the 140,000 residents of the 16 favelas of Maré, one of the largest communities in Rio de Janeiro. Other projects that stood out were boi Mandigueira, art, culture and racial identity, in Recife, and the Association of Women of Nazaré da Mata, in the Zona da Mata Pernambucana, which acts for women's rights, desires, dreams and in coping with domestic violence.
"We seek to demonstrate our commitment and commitment to achieving SOD 5 by inspiring other companies and our value chain to undertake initiatives to reduce gender inequality, and to take a close look at the numerous challenges women face in the labor market," says Renata Chagas, Ceo of the Neoenergy Institute.
#DEIXAELATEINSPIRAR
Neoenergia created the #DeixaElaTeInspire campaign, in celebration of The International Day of Women's Entrepreneurship. The campaign has the participation of influencers, entrepreneurs and collaborators of Neoenergia who undertake in different fields.
One of the results of the campaign was the launch of the podcast of the same name with interviews of inspiring women from Neoenergia and the world of sustainability. Check out the episodes:
Episode 1: Renata Chagas - Ceo of the Neoenergy Institute
Episode 2: Lara Piau - Legal Director of Neoenergia
Episode 3: Sonia Favaretto - SDG Pioneer for the UN Global Compact
Episode 4: Laura Porto - Director of Renewables at Neoenergia
SPONSORSHIP OF THE BRAZILIAN FOOTBALL TEAM
In 2021, Neoenergia became the first company to exclusively support the Brazilian Women's Soccer Team. The agreement, valid until 2025, also provides support for the national competition of clubs, which is now called Brasileirão Feminino Neoenergia. This sponsorship, the largest in the company's history, is a symbol of an attitude that extends in several areas.
The promotion of women's sport is the result of a belief in sport as an agent of social change, which promotes principles such as healthy living, respect, example and discipline. The initiatives are in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially number 5, gender equality.
Iberdrola Group: World reference in women's stimulus in STEM
The Iberdrola group, of which we are part, encourages the development among women of STEM careers. We consider that training in professions historically performed by men is essential for them to be able to work in all areas they want and even be able to reach positions of responsibility so far reserved for men.
The number of women employed at Iberdrola has increased by 50% in the last decade and women now account for 23.6% of the group's total workforce (37,127 by the end of 2020).
To continue attracting female talent, the electric company develops several programs that encourage this type of course in the different countries where it is present. Check:
