The
Government is investing more than £4m to get women with science qualifications
to enter or return to the science, engineering and technology (SET) sectors.
Launching
the new UK Resource Centre for women in SET, Patricia Hewitt, secretary of
state for trade and industry, said: "The nation’s science base is the
bedrock of our economic performance. We need more people working in science,
engineering and technology. That means making sure
that professional women in these sectors are able to contribute fully at all
stages in their career."
The
UK Resource Centre for Women in SET, based in Bradford,
will work with British business to help maximise the opportunities for
professional women and close the skills gap that is damaging UK
competitiveness, Hewitt said.
Included
in the Government funding is £200k from the Department for Education and
Science to support an initiative which will help higher education institutions
put measures in place to aid the retention of female undergraduates on SET
courses and their progression into the SET labour force.
