South Devon College is committed to inspiring females to follow STEM careers
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8 Mar 2026 ]
There is a national drive to encourage more females to enter the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects – sectors that are driving innovation and growth – and South Devon College is supporting the educational endeavour.
The College is at the forefront of raising awareness and promoting these industries, encouraging girls to enrol on the STEM courses through annual events such as the Girls in STEM and Women into Marine events.
Held at College to mark International Women in Engineering Day, local schools are invited into the Hi Tech & Digital Centre for Girls in STEM day, pairing up with local companies for exciting engineering concept design challenges.
For the maritime industry, the Women in Marine event invites students from local schools and colleges to the Marine Academy to take part in taster sessions and fun challenges, to showcase the versatility of a career within the marine industry.
Instrumental in the planning and execution of the events is Charlotte Bounsall, Events and Project Coordinator at the Hi Tech & Digital Centre – we spoke to her on International Women’s Day about why these events are so important for the growth of the STEM disciplines:
Can you please tell me about your involvement in promoting STEM subjects?
I am actively involved in promoting STEM subjects through a range of outreach initiatives aimed at inspiring young people, in some places for girls, to explore the wide variety of careers available in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Each year I organise Girls into STEM events covering areas such as engineering, marine and computing. These events bring together numerous schools from across Devon, welcoming girls in Years 9 to 11 onsite to take part in hands-on activities designed to spark interest and build confidence in STEM subjects. I have been running these initiatives for the past eight years, driven by a strong passion for ensuring that everyone is aware of the opportunities open to them, regardless of background or gender.
Last year, I also launched a Girls in STEM initiative with Preston Primary School, extending this work to younger students and helping to introduce STEM concepts at an early age.
Now working in an engineering and technology-based industry, I often reflect on how valuable this kind of exposure would have been when I was younger. STEM is an area that genuinely interests me and I believe it’s important to show young people what careers in engineering, marine or computing really involve. By giving them real insight and practical experiences, they can make informed decisions about whether these paths are right for them.
Why is it important to encourage more females into the engineering sector?
I believe encouraging more females into the engineering sector is essential for innovation, equality and long-term growth. Diverse teams bring a wider range of perspectives, leading to more creative problem solving and better engineering solutions. By increasing female participation, the industry can also address ongoing skills shortages and make full use of the available talent pool.
Engineering offers exciting, well-paid, and rewarding careers, yet many girls are unaware of these opportunities or feel discouraged by outdated stereotypes. Encouraging females into engineering helps challenge these perceptions, ensuring young women understand that engineering is a viable and inclusive career choice. Greater female representation creates visible role models, inspiring future generations and helping to break down barriers.
What are the benefits of working in engineering?
Working in engineering offers a wide range of benefits, especially for people who want a career that is interesting, impactful, and full of opportunity. Engineering allows you to be creative and hands-on, solving real world problems and helping to shape the future through technology, sustainability, and innovation. You can see the results of your work and know it makes a genuine difference. There are roles across many sectors, including marine, computing, renewable energy, healthcare, space and many more, meaning you can find a path that matches your interests. Engineering also encourages continuous learning, helping professionals develop new skills as technology evolves.
Charlotte Bounsall, Events and Project Coordinator at the Hi Tech & Digital Centre
Are the career prospects good?
Yes, career prospects in engineering are strong. Engineering skills are in high demand across many industries, offering good job security, competitive salaries and clear progression opportunities. Skills are transferable, allowing movement between sectors, specialisation, or progression into leadership roles.
With ongoing technological advancement and a growing focus on sustainability, demand for engineers is expected to continue, making engineering a stable and future-proof career.
Are more females enrolling onto the College’s STEM courses?
We have seen a significant and very positive rise in the number of female students enrolling in engineering and marine programmes over the past few years. This increase is noticeable year on year and reflects a growing interest and confidence among young women in pursuing these pathways.
Alongside student recruitment, there has also been a major shift within our teams. Our Technology curriculum team is now around 50% female, which is a huge achievement and demonstrates meaningful progress in representation across the sector. This visible change provides strong role models for students and reinforces the message that engineering is an inclusive and welcoming career choice for women.
Anything else you’d like to mention?
As a STEM ambassador, the progress I have witnessed over the past eight years has been truly remarkable. One of the most rewarding outcomes of these events is seeing the confidence, initiative and proactiveness shown by the students, particularly through the ideas they develop and present. At the start of each event, many arrive feeling nervous, but it is inspiring to watch how quickly they engage, find their confidence, and immerse themselves in their projects.
These events are made possible by the strong support of our local employers, who work closely with schools well before the event and continue their involvement through to completion. Their commitment plays a vital role in the success of the programme. I would like to thank everyone involved for their continued support in guiding, inspiring and potentially shaping the future careers of these students.
Students Poppy Balsom (left) and Xumetani Hapazari with Jen Bevan-Mills, Programme Coordinator in Engineering at South Devon College
Our female STEM students wanted to share their experiences and reasons behind enrolling on the courses:
Poppy Balsom, who is studying a T Level in Engineering, said: “I chose this course due to the many interesting and high paying jobs it can lead to and as someone that doesn’t know what to do in the future, this opens so many doors.
“I’m enjoying the electrical side of the course as it is engaging and more academic, plus the mechanical side as it is more hands on. The work placement will help further develop my skills and help me decide what I was from the future.”
Poppy Balsom
Dale Smith, also studying the Engineering T Level, commented: “I chose this course because it is more specialised than A-levels and it will give given me the perfect foundation knowledge for starting university.
“In the future I want to study motorsport engineering at university so that I can become a motorsport engineer and work in Formula 1 or one of the many other motorsport branches as a trackside engineer.”
Another student on the T Level Engineering course, Xumetani Hapazari, agreed: “I like that I can be a role model to other females out there that might think or feel that they do not belong to this field, but truth is we do and we have a lot to offer.
T Level Engineering student Xumetani Hapazari
“I am enjoying working with machines, lathes and mills. I get to express my creativity and learn different skills. This course is very eye-opening in the sense that I get to understand how certain objects are made that are used in our day-to-day lives, which makes me excited for the future.
“I would like to further my knowledge in university by specialising in Biomedical Engineering because I have always had passion to work in the medical field as well as Engineering, so I figured why not incorporate the two.
“Based on the research I’ve done on various engineering careers, I do believe that it is a rewarding career – apart from getting paid well, you build connections within the industry that can last you a lifetime and you can be highly accredited.”
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