Are Women at Risk in the 4th Industrial Revolution?

Today on International Women’s Day, Microsoft is bringing attention to the global call for greater women representation in STEM fields.

According to a list of Most Promising Jobs of 2017 published by LinkedIn, the top 20 occupations of the year require STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematical) skills. Despite the opportunities, there remains a persistent gender gap. The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) estimates that nearly three in 10 research scientists and engineers in Singapore in 2014 were women, while a survey conducted by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) showed a 30 percent female representation in tech companies here in Singapore.

What could be deterring girls and young women from entering a field that offers the skills and knowledge that could change the world? Microsoft seeks to debunk four common misconceptions concerning women in STEM fields in anew blog post here.

In addition, Microsoft released a new video challenging girls to stay in STEM so they are empowered to solve the problems they care about most. Microsoft and LinkedIn also launched a new Career Explorer tool to inspire young women to pursue their passions with STEM skills across industries and social causes. This tool is inspired by the insight that by 2018, some 2.4 million STEM jobs will go unfilled.