The new program FP Steam The plan from the Junta de Castilla y León is already underway with a clear idea: Increase the number of girls who are encouraged to study Vocational Training cycles related to science and technologyThe initiative was born to respond to a reality that is repeated year after year: many of the cycles with the best job prospects continue to have a very low female presence.
Financially supported by the regional government and with the direct collaboration of Family Business Foundation of Castile and LeónFP Steam aims to show young women that technology and science fields are accessible, viable, and appealing options. The program is supported by guidance activities, mentoring, company visits and digital tools to break down stereotypes and open doors to high-demand professions.
A specific boost for girls in Vocational Training
The person in charge of presenting the program was the Vice President of the Board and Minister of Family and Equal Opportunities, Isabel Blanco, at an event held at the Konverxo company headquarters in Valladolid. It was explained there that FP Steam is specifically designed for female students who are considering or are already enrolled in vocational training programs, focusing on those professional families linked to innovation and industry.
The Board allocates 215.000 Euros This project is part of a collaboration agreement signed with the Family Business Foundation. Thanks to this agreement, a set of actions has been defined, ranging from the educational orientation including direct contact with the business environment, with the aim of enabling young women to learn firsthand what real opportunities these sectors offer.
One of the program's main objectives is to bring the areas closer together. STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) This is aimed at female students at key stages of academic decision-making. The goal is to provide girls considering vocational training with clear and reliable information, and to show them female role models already working in these fields.
The official presentation at Konverxo also served to highlight the support of the business community. The Family Business Foundation emphasized that Companies in Castilla y León are demanding technical vocational training profiles linked to Steam.And it is essential that more girls train in these fields to meet hiring needs and prevent talent drain.
Gender gap in sectors with high employment and good salaries
The data handled by the Junta de Castilla y León puts on the table a significant gender gap in technological and scientific vocational trainingAlthough these are fields with high employability, competitive salaries and good growth prospects, Only around 16% of female vocational training students choose courses related to science or technology.
Looking more closely, the presence of women drops even further in some professional fields. electricity and electronicWomen barely represent around 1-1,1% of the student body; in mechanical manufacturingThey hover around 0,5%; and in transport and vehicle maintenance They don't even reach 1,1%. Even in computersIn this field, which is closely linked to the present and future of employment, the percentage of women does not exceed approximately 2,4%.
The Ministry emphasizes that this situation is not only a problem of equality, but also of competitiveness. The absence of women in these studies limits their professional opportunities. And at the same time, it makes it difficult for strategic and emerging sectors to access the full diversity of available talent. As Isabel Blanco has pointed out, the market is demanding more technical profiles, yet many young women continue to be left out.
The Board believes that a large part of this gap is explained by gender stereotypes, a lack of visible female role models, and a lack of knowledge about what to study and what to work on afterwards in the Steam cycles. FP Steam tries to act precisely on these points, bringing the reality of technological professions closer to the students and their immediate environment.
In this sense, the program wants to convey that Technology, electronics, mechanics, and computer science are not fields exclusive to men.but sectors in which women can develop stable careers, with good working conditions and opportunities for professional growth.
Activities: workshops, mentoring, and company visits
To achieve its objectives, FP Steam deploys a diverse set of activities aimed at both students and their community. One of the main lines of work is the orientation, awareness and information workshops aimed at female students who are in the process of choosing vocational training studies, with a very practical focus on what it means to complete a technical course.
These workshops are complemented by information sessions for familieswho play a key role in young women's academic decision-making. The intention is debunk myths about technical fieldsTo show the reality of the labor market and explain what employment, specialization or entrepreneurship opportunities these studies offer.
Another pillar of the program is the meetings with mentorsThese are professionals already working in STEM fields who share their experiences with the students, including their training, the challenges they faced, and their daily work routines. These sessions aim to provide the students with valuable insights. relatable and realistic role models of women in technology and industrial careers.
In addition, they are planned visits to companies and technology centers from Castile and León so that the students can see firsthand the environments in which these profiles are developed. During these visits, the participants learn about equipment, production processes, laboratories, and R&D departments, which helps them gain a much more concrete understanding of the career paths associated with each program.
The program also incorporates specific sessions to promote female entrepreneurship among vocational training students. They address issues such as business creation, innovation, and self-employment, with the aim of encouraging young women to consider launching their own projects in the technological and scientific fields.
Teacher training, communication campaigns and recognition
FP Steam doesn't stop at direct work with students. The Board has planned actions aimed at teachers and counselors in educational centers, supported by research groups in education and ICTAware that their role is fundamental in informing and supporting female students in their choice of studies, this training aims to equip teachers with more resources to to promote scientific and technological vocations in girls and detect potential talents that might otherwise go unnoticed.
In parallel, a strategy has been designed to communication campaigns specifically aimed at young women in Castile and LeónUsing different channels to reach both urban and rural areas, these campaigns showcase the many options offered by STEAM fields, from robotics and industrial chemistry to energy, construction, and electronics.
The program also includes, actions to recognize the students, the participating companies and the most outstanding projects linked to FP Steam Mujer. The idea is to give visibility to success stories and generate inspiring examples that can encourage other young women to follow the same path.
All this deployment is supported by a Detailed study on the vocational training offerings in the community and the female presence in the Steam fieldsThis analysis makes it possible to identify which cycles have fewer female students, where the main barriers to access are, and which companies can become strategic allies to offer internships, visits, or stable collaborations.
The program design also took into account the need to detect and make visible female role models in the technology and industrial sectors from Castile and León, so that the girls can see themselves reflected in real professional career paths within their own geographical environment.
A dedicated website and digital avatars to bring Steam Vocational Training closer to the public.
In order to centralize information and facilitate participation, FP Steam has a own website that brings together all the training actions, dissemination activities and program resourcesFrom this portal, young women can find out about the available options, register for workshops, or closely follow the various initiatives being launched in collaborating centers and companies.
Among the most striking elements of the project are three digital avatars created using artificial intelligenceThese virtual characters are responsible for explaining, in a simple and approachable way, What is a typical day like in a STEAM training program or in a job related to these fields?The goal is for girls to have a first introduction to these professions in an interactive way, adapted to their language.
The website aims to become a meeting point for both students as well as for families, teachers and companiesIn addition to basic information, it is expected to include news, participant testimonials, guidance materials, and references to other programs that complement the strategy to promote female scientific vocations.
This focus on digital tools aligns with the program's content, which aims to familiarize young women with technological environments, online resources, and innovation-based initiativesThe idea is that the use of these platforms should also be part of the learning process and serve to spark interest in specialties such as programming, robotics, or automation.
By integrating the web and avatars into the student experience, FP Steam aims to The information should not be limited to face-to-face sessionsbut that it can be consulted at any time and from anywhere, something especially relevant for girls who live in municipalities far from large urban centers.
A strategy that covers all educational stages
The launch of FP Steam adds to other initiatives that the Junta de Castilla y León had already been developing for to promote interest in science and technology among girls and young women throughout their entire educational journey. In this way, the Ministry of Family and Equal Opportunities seeks to covering everything from early childhood education to entry into the labor market.
Among the most established programs are Stem Talent Girlaimed at secondary school and university students. This initiative, which has already gone through several editions, has trained It has thousands of young people and has branches in the nine provinces of Castilla y León, as well as a branch in Madrid and another online branch.Thanks to this network, no student is left out because they live far from the capital cities or reside outside the community.
Stem Talent Girl also relies on a broad network of mentors and collaborating entitiesThe network, comprised of companies and institutions, offers talks, workshops, mentoring, and opportunities to connect with professional environments related to STEM fields. The progressive increase in participants and involved educational centers demonstrates a genuine interest among girls when given access to these kinds of experiences.
For the youngest ages, the Board has launched the program STEAM Talent Kids, focused on students of Infant and Primary Educationwith priority given to rural areas. In this case, the methodology focuses on practical and recreational activities, such as creation of small robots and participation in inter-center competitions, with the purpose of introducing boys and girls to technology from a very young age in a fun way.
Another complementary project is Musiarq, through which it is intended to awaken interest in science and technology using Architecture and music as a common threadThis proposal is specifically aimed at rural schools and involves teaching professionals who work with children in an interdisciplinary manner.
Support for the labor market integration of women in male-dominated sectors
In addition to the boost in the educational field, the Junta de Castilla y León is reinforcing its strategy with measures aimed at employment of young women in traditionally male-dominated sectorsMany of them are linked to technology and industry. The idea is that the effort made during the training stages will continue when it's time to make the leap into employment.
Among these measures, one support line stands out, through which 100% of Social Security contributions are covered for one year This aid is available to companies that hire women up to 30 years old in these sectors. It can also be applied to the young women themselves if they decide to register as self-employed to start their own professional projects.
With incentives of this type, the regional government intends that Companies are more open to hiring female professionals in technology fieldsThis reduces one of the costs associated with hiring new staff. At the same time, it sends a clear message to young women: their presence is needed and supported by concrete public policies.
The combination of FP Steam, previous educational programs, and these hiring support measures constitutes a long-term strategy to reduce the gender gap in science and technology professionsThe key, the Board points out, is to act in a coordinated manner at all stages, from the first contact with the technology to consolidation in the labor market.
With this whole package of measures, Castile and León seeks to steadily increase the presence of girls in Steam vocational training cyclesto make better use of available female talent and respond to the needs of an increasingly technologically advanced productive fabric, in which employment opportunities are growing but are still not equally distributed between men and women.