Abstract:

This psychosociological study presents, from a gender perspective, a vision about the preferences of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers, in 1155 students (763 men and 392 women) who were in the last two years of secondary education (4th and 5th year of secondary education) in the province of Arequipa; the second most important province of Peru after Lima. To do this, a questionnaire was prepared and applied (under informed and anonymous consent) that explored in each adolescent: their dream career; your actual postulation career; the attitude (resistance) of her parents towards her vocational interest; and, other features. In this way, our results report reduced preferences (career of dreams) towards scientific careers (biology, mathematics, physics or chemistry) as opposed to vocations for engineering (especially civil engineering) that were emerging as the preferred ones. Likewise, it was the scientific careers that received the greatest resistance; especially in women. In global terms, in men we found that STEAM careers went from 42% (career of dreams) to 6.7% (career of real application). For their part, women went from 20% (career of dreams) to 4.6% (career of real application). However, these findings reveal that women have little preference for STEM careers and would have greater resistance from their parents; and therefore, less financial support from them. It should be mentioned that, in this large sample, we did not find preferences for careers in mathematics, physics or chemistry. This, despite the fact that this city has one of the most important public universities (100% free) in the country that offer these careers. However, the fact that many of these young people apply for a career not related to their vocation could not necessarily be attributed to parental resistance.

Lastly, this study analyzes the results within the framework of the classic gender stereotypes regarding STEM careers; and where families (and the educational system itself) would be transmitting the idea that these alternatives are not suitable for women. In this way, families, teachers and a large part of society would be participating in an endless number of arguments that would later be internalized by women. However, the low number of men oriented towards STEM careers also reveal problems common to these two genders.

Keywords:

Women in STEM careers, STEM career preferences, parental conflict, vocation for science.