The UK Resource Centre for Women in SET (Science, Engineering and Technology) has launched a new resource website.
The Resource Centre is part of the government's strategy to improve the recruitment, retention and progression of women throughout SET education and employment and to increase their involvement in SET policy. The centre was one of the key recommendations in the Greenfield Report, which identified the need for greater coordination of information, resources, knowledge and good practice.
The new website has been developed to act as a central source of information to provide informed solutions to employers including academia, professional institutes, research councils and careers professionals while providing access to mentoring for women and girls entering or already participating in SET learning or work.
The website launch, at the IEE, was attended by women representing the breadth of SET occupations. Pat Langford, deputy director and head of promoting science, engineering and technology for women at the DTI, said: “There is a strong demand from employers for high-quality SET educated individuals who will be deployed effectively in businesses, universities and the public sector but we cannot afford to leave women, who make up 50% of the workforce, out of the UK's SET future.
“The DTI sees this new website as a key channel of communication, allowing the centre to achieve its objective of working with SET employers to help them tackle the barriers to recruiting, retraining and progressing women in their organisations.”
The new site can be accessed at http://www.setwomenresource.org.uk. The UK Resource Centre's official launch will take place on 16 September 2004 at the Royal Armouries, Leeds.