Workshops & Webinars: Upskilling Women for the Future Passed Workshops

Research Project
EmpowerHER: Advancing Women in STEM Education & Careers
Workshops & Webinars: Upskilling Women for the Future Passed Workshops

Workshops & Webinars: Upskilling Women for the Future
Passed Workshops
Kick-off Workshop
The workshop was a part of the kick-off event of the EmpowerHER project. The workshop purpose was to outreach to stakeholders in various field: academia, industry, NGOs, mentors and trainers.

Workshop goals:

•   To introduce the EmpowerHER project initiative to the relevant stakeholders.
•   Establish project teams and assign roles and responsibilities.
•   Develop a detailed project plan with specific timelines.

Audience was from both genders, women and men. They were from different professions: academic professors, trainers, mentors, employers, students, leaders and managers. The workshop hosted around 53 participants either attended in person or virtually through Zoom. The hybrid workshop allowed contributions from all stakeholders within and outside of Egypt. The hybrid workshop was conducted over two days.

Key topic covered
•   Introduction of the project objectives and activities.
•   Specific needs, aspiration, and challenges for empowering women in the Higher Education Institutions, career development, especially in STEM subjects and emerging technological advancement in Egypt and beyond.
•   Training requirements to encourage women pursue STEM education and enable them acquire skills in various disciplines.
•   Facilitate women's entry into the workforce and promote economic independence.
•   Encourage women to pursue leadership roles and career advancement opportunities in STEM industries
•   Challenging societal norms and perceptions that restrict women's participation in the workforce.
•   Promoting diversity and inclusion in workplaces
•   Showcase women who have overcome obstacles and established themselves in various fields

Presentations
The workshop was a variety of presentation of statistics and facts on women involvement in STEM education and career in Egypt and other Arab countries, discussions of challenges facing women especially in labor market, case studies of women in career from Asia as well as polls on kind of training needs.

EmpowerHER Project Day 1

EmpowerHER Project Day 2

Participant Feedback
Participants appreciated the focus on empowering women from early education stages and the introduction of AI training. Participants also highlighted the areas for Improvement such as more attention to work-life balance issues, better work arrangements to support female participation, and expanded remote work opportunities.
There are a number of key points that were highlighted through the workshop, most importantly:
•   Empowering female from the early school age.
•   Encourage the female enrollment to higher education STEM disciplines (current 29% female to 71% Male in Egypt)
•   Encourage female to pursue STEM careers (current workforce in STEM are 22% female)
•   Lack of work arrangements at the workplace to support female workforce.
•   What society expects from female?
•   Work life balance issues for female.
•   Widen the opportunities for remote work to serve women’s life balance.
•   Promote STEM education in early ages especially at remote and underprivileged areas.
•   Consider vocational training.
•   Introducing AI training to women in HE
•   Consider introducing Immersive AI
•   Need for TOT programs in digital technology skills.
•   Need for women training in digital technology skills.
•   Advancing women personality as per employers’ perspective.
•   Include male colleagues in the female development and empowerment related discussions.
•   Provide facilities at work for women with children.

Workshop achievements
•   Skill Development: Enhanced understanding and interest in pursuing STEM careers among women.
•   Awareness and Motivation: Increased awareness of the challenges and potential strategies to support women in STEM fields.
•   Networking: The facilitated networking among participants and highlighted effective strategies for mentoring and career development.

The workshop effectively addressed the objectives by:
• Increasing awareness about the importance of supporting women in STEM.
• Identifying training needs and barriers to entry for women in STEM fields.

Unexpected outcomes or insights gained:
•   Greater Interest in Policy Changes: Discussions highlighted the need for organizational and policy changes to support women in STEM.
•   Networking Opportunities: Unexpected networking and collaboration opportunities arose during the workshop.
•   Support: recognizing the need for more targeted support for women at different career stages and the importance of involving men in discussions about gender equality to foster a more supportive culture in STEM fields.
Challenges
•   Technical Issues: Some participants had difficulties with the online platform, which were resolved by technical support.
•   Language Barriers: Offering materials in both English and Arabic helped accommodate all participants.

Going Forward

We will focus on:
• Inclusion of More Practical Sessions: Participants suggested more hands-on training in future workshops.
• Enhanced Support for Remote Participants: Improvements in the technical setup for remote participants.
Future workshops could include more interactive sessions such as hands-on activities or simulations, which could make the learning experience more engaging and practical.

Potential topics for future session:
•   Topics such as advanced data analysis, leadership in STEM, and entrepreneurial skills in STEM fields.
•   Formats could include more panel discussions and breakout sessions to allow for small group interactions.
•   Activities might include case studies, role-playing exercises, or collaborative projects.

Conclusion
The workshop was successful in achieving its objectives, though there is room for improvement in execution and participant engagement strategies.