A Day in the World of Technology
Twenty-one girls from Auning School’s 9th form paid a visit to Hoyer’s Hadsten headquarters on 5 October, to spend a day in the world of technology. The girls tested their skills at screwing in an electric motor, visited a testing centre and gained insight into what it would be like to be a woman in a world dominated by men.
In Denmark, we need more people to pursue studies within the fields of IT, technology and the natural sciences. Inadequate knowledge of the possibilities within these fields is one reason why some people don’t consider IT or technological fields when choosing their study programmes or making career choices.
This also explains why Hoyer’s Hadsten office took part in Denmark’s national campaign “Girls’ Day in Science 2022”. Hoyer welcomed 24 young women to a day focused on electric motors. The aim is to attract more young women to the technical fields, thereby recruiting more women in the long term:
“In recent years, we’ve been focused on recruiting more women here at Hoyer, but it’s hard because men are over-represented in these study programmes. That’s why we want to engage in dialogue with young women before they choose a line of study. These young women need to experience that the natural sciences and technology aren’t dangerous and that an education within the technical fields can open up many interesting job prospects,” explains Inge-Louise Linderoth, HR Manager, Hoyer.
Role models provided insight into Hoyer
At Hoyer, the young women met six female role models working in technological fields in various ways. They gained insight into how it is possible to combine commercial and technical aspects and had a hands-on experience of electric motors.
“An electric motor is not particularly sexy by itself. But once you know that this very same product helps ensure clean drinking water in Africa, generate snow for indoor ski slopes in the Netherlands, and helps convey luggage in Oslo Gardermoen Airport, it all becomes more stimulating,” according to Inge-Louise Linderoth.
And it is notably the electric motor and its functions that were the centre of attention when the young women visited Hoyer. They grappled with trying to modify an electric motor, visited Hoyer’s testing centre, and asked a lot of questions about the history and use of the motor.
Record-breaking support for Girls’ Day in Science
Girls’ Day in Science is an annual nation-wide campaign day where companies, organisations and educational institutions all over Denmark invite thousands of young women from lower and upper secondary schools participate in practical, real-life activities in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) areas.
Maiken Lykke Lolck, expert in young women and STEM, and Director of the Natural Sciences Centre, emphasises that the enthusiasm shown by companies, educational institutions and organisations is crucial for turning things around. And this year the support was even greater than last year, which had also been record-breaking.
“Women are still under-represented in STEM study programmes and STEM companies, and this lack of diversity will be consequential for all of us. At Girls’ Day in Science, the young women spend the day meeting employees, researchers and students they can identify with and gain tangible, practical insight into their fields.. It makes huge difference when so many organisers support the creation of more diversity by opening their doors and showing the young women the interesting opportunities in a future within the natural sciences and technology,” Maiken Lykke Lolck concludes.