Factors that influence the participation of women in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Abstract

Education is considered the vehicle of progress in countries that promote the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) that contribute to innovation and economic development of society. Likewise, they are the ones that demand the largest number of professional workers worldwide and offer better salaries. The possibility of training in these disciplines must be equitable between women and men; however, Salvadoran history shows little participation of women in these disciplines, so there is an imbalance in opportunities. In this article, it is proposed to analyze the factors that influence the participation of women in STEM careers in the Faculty of Engineering of the UEES. Regarding the methodology, a mixed approach was used (CUAL_CUAN) whose design is sequential derivative with a descriptive scope. Among the main results of the research are that the low representation of women in these disciplines is due to complex and multi-causal reasons, caused by various factors that occur at different stages of women's lives such as: individual, family, social and economic. Therefore, it is necessary to establish support from the government, Higher Education Institutions (IES), non-governmental organizations and private companies that guide women to choose these disciplines that allow them to improve their economic, family and social progress.