Young Women in STEM: From Interest to Opportunity

STEM is where so much of the future is being built, from engineering and tech to aerospace and science. But for a lot of young women, getting a foot in the door isn’t easy, and it is not because of their lack of interest. A 2025 Walbrook Institute London survey of 1,000 female students aged 16 to 19 found that 70% were personally interested in STEM topics. Yet many of them still described STEM as too difficult, too demanding or hard to relate to.

Where the gap opens up

EngineeringUK’s research shows how quickly things change. Girls make up around half of GCSE maths and physics students. By A Level, that drops to 37% in maths and 24% in physics. Women then make up just 16.9% of the engineering and technology workforce, and 17% of apprenticeship starts. In aerospace, only 14% of first-year aeronautical and aerospace engineering undergraduates are women.So there are plenty of young women with a real interest in STEM who are choosing not to continue with it.

Walbrook found that 61% of the young women surveyed thought the effort needed for STEM could put them off. Half felt overwhelmed by the topics, and 42% felt the subjects were too hard for them.That doesn’t mean they can’t do it. A girl might love maths but quietly drop it because she’s decided she won’t cope. Another might be drawn to engineering without any idea what engineers actually do. These choices get made young, and they can close doors long before anyone notices.

About two thirds of the young women Walbrook surveyed knew someone working in STEM, but most of those people were men. One in three didn’t know anyone in STEM at all.That makes it hard for them to picture themselves in that field. Women make up only 14% of first-year aerospace engineering students, it’s easy to wonder whether you belong. Meeting a woman who works in engineering, aerospace or science changes that. A career that felt distant starts to look possible.

Knowing about opportunities isn’t the same as reaching them

London has universities, engineering firms, tech businesses and major aerospace and aviation employers. But some young people have family or contacts who can give advice and open doors, and others don’t. Mentoring young engineers can help close this gap in the STEM industry.Something as small as a visit to a workplace or a conversation with an engineer or mentor who answers the questions school never covers can connect what you’re studying to where it could lead. For someone unsure whether engineering is for her, meeting a person who’s built a career in it can make the decision feel far less daunting.

At Falcon Foundation, we help young people turn an interest in STEM into a realistic path. That might mean scholarships, one-to-one mentoring, or time with professionals working in the industry. For one person it could be meeting someone in aerospace, for another it’s the financial support or the mentor who builds their confidence.

Learn more about Falcon Foundation