Stereotyping still underpins gender gap in STEM subjects

While Ireland is struggling with a skills gap in terms of STEM (science, technology, maths, and engineering) graduates, gender imbalance within these areas is also an issue of growing concern.

Women are in the majority when it comes to having a third-level qualification, with over half (55.1%) aged 25-34 having a third-level qualification, compared to just 42.9% of men in this age group, but the figures for the areas in which they graduate tell a much different story.

More than four out of five (82.4%) graduates in engineering, manufacturing, and construction in 2016 were male, while 79.3% of graduates in information and communication technologies were male.