Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2023

February 11 marks International Day of Women and Girls In Science (IDWGIS), which highlights the critical role females play in science and technology related industries.

We openly celebrate the opportunity to promote full and equal access to, and participation in, science for women and girls.

Although it is widely recognised that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) are vital to global economies and innovation, most countries have not achieved gender equality in their STEM industries, with a 33.3% global average number of female researchers.

At Urenco, we are proud to support women across the organisation, working at all levels and in a diverse range of fields in science and technology. We know well that to address the exciting challenges and opportunities facing us in science, we must delve into as diverse a pool of talent and knowledge as possible.

Kathryn (pictured centre), a Urenco Operations Apprentice, first garnered an interest in engineering through her school studies, and chose to develop her skills further through Urenco’s apprenticeship programme. 

A passionate advocate for women in STEM, Kathryn says: “The path in nuclear especially is very positive with some exciting projects coming in the future. I would definitely recommend starting a career in science and engineering, as the opportunities are endless, there’s so much to learn and see.

“As a girl who has come into an industry where women are under-represented, I can happily say that while it has had its challenges, I wouldn’t change my career for the world. It is the best decision I have made. As long as you’re willing to put in the hard work and are motivated and determined, the future will pay off and you’ll go far.”

The apprenticeship programme is just one of the many inclusion and diversity initiatives supported by Urenco, to address the gender gap in STEM and to inspire women to take up roles in the industry. 

Other activities include early careers opportunities of work experience, graduate schemes and internships, the Richie programme, and educational outreach events. For more information on this, visit our careers page here.  

We also support international Masters-level scholarships for women pursuing a career in nuclear through our social impact partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). You can read more about the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme here. 

Share Article