Cork's Phily Healy: I Wish Showcase an opportunity for girls to see 'endless possibilities are available to them'

More than half of Irish teenage girls – 60% – believe that gender inequality is the biggest barrier preventing them from pursuing careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

That’s a finding from the 2024 IWishReport, which also reveals confidence in STEM ability dips as girls transition from tween to teen.

I Wish is a multi-award-winning non-profit Cork-founded organisation dedicated to empowering female students to see the potential of STEM careers.

Cork’s Gillian Keating, I Wish co-founder, said: “The World Economic Forum 2024 report warns that, by 2025, 97 million jobs could be displaced by AI, yet only 28.2% of the current STEM workforce is female.

“We must empower girls to pursue careers in STEM to cultivate a diverse and innovative future workforce. We have found that, from 2018 to 2022, there has been a 37% increase in girls engaging with at least one STEM subject. While this progress is encouraging, we must intensify our efforts.

“We are advocating for a holistic, society-wide approach to tackle these challenges.

“This includes integrating stories of women in STEM into all subjects at primary level and promoting STEM-focused community projects as part of the sixth-class curriculum. For secondary education, I Wish calls for introductions to locally based female STEM professionals, equality of access to STEM subjects across single-sex and mixed schools, and training to tackle gender stereotypes.”

The I Wish 2024 Survey of Female Students’ Perspectives on STEM also reveals that 33% of teenage girls say stereotypes — such as the belief that boys are inherently better at maths, engineering, or technology — continue to discourage girls from entering STEM fields.

Moreover, only 68% of all-girls schools offer STEM subjects beyond maths and science, compared to 87% in mixed schools and 96% in boys’ schools. The STEM subject gender gap is most evident in subjects like engineering, where boys represent 91% of those studying the subject at second level.

Caroline O’Driscoll, I Wish co-founder, added: “The survey findings reflect what we at I Wish have observed over the last 11 years: while girls often show confidence in their abilities at a young age, this confidence dips as they transition from tween to teen.

“This could be attributed to factors such as rising social media usage, a lack of role models, stereotypes, and unconscious gender bias.

“While early intervention in primary education is necessary — hence our expansion into a primary school programme — it is crucial we maintain a focus on the teenage stage, where confidence is particularly vulnerable.

“By intervening at this critical juncture, we can help girls retain their confidence in their abilities and view STEM as a space where they can excel, ultimately leading to a more equitable and innovative future.”

I Wish is gearing up for its largest-ever STEM Showcase at the RDS Dublin tomorrow. For its 11th year, 4,000 female students will attend the event and speakers include Cork’s Olympic sprint star Phil Healy.

“STEM drives innovation on and off the track. From the engineering of high-performance running shoes and the physics behind optimal sprinting techniques, to the data analytics fine-tuning training plans, STEM is a part of my daily life as an athlete,” she said.

“I’m thrilled to share my journey and show how women in STEM are revolutionising every facet of sports.

“The I Wish Showcase is an incredible opportunity for young girls to see the endless possibilities available to them,” said Phil.

Tara McCarthy, I Wish Alumni

Tara McCarthy, a technology and transformation senior consultant working in Deloitte Dublin, attended the very first I Wish showcase event back in 2015 in Cork.

“I have a vivid memory of walking into the City Hall being absolutely mesmerised by the number of stands, posters, TV screens and most importantly the number of women at the event,” she said.

“Before the event, when discussing careers and college courses, I found a lot of the time the most well-known courses such as commerce, nursing or arts were often discussed at length. But we never really heard about all the opportunities in STEM,” recalls Tara, from Blackrock.

The event really shifted her mindset.

“Before attending, I knew I enjoyed subjects like maths and physics, but I wasn’t sure where that could lead me. I Wish helped me connect the dots and see how my interest in maths could translate into a career,” said Tara, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Finance from UCD.

Trends are moving in the right direction, she feels, but there’s more work to do.

“Many companies and organisations are now actively looking to diversify their teams and close the gender gap in STEM.

“As a result, there is a greater emphasis on creating inclusive work environments, which can encourage more women to enter and stay in STEM careers.

“Despite progress, there is still some underlying gender bias in how we perceive careers. STEM fields, especially in engineering, tech, and physics, can still be seen as more suited for men. So, while there’s still work to do, the momentum is building, and events like I Wish are contributing to this positive change.”

Confidence is a huge factor though, she said.

“For me, when you see other women achieving things you thought were out of reach, it gives you the confidence to go after your own goals.

“And confidence for girls, young girls specifically, is so important. I myself, even struggle with it at times. But I guess having female role models and the right support system in place means everything. And I Wish is just that for thousands of young girls across Ireland. It is the ultimate community to showcase what amazing things women can achieve and are achieving, and hopefully encourage and get more and more girls to follow suit.”

Lauren Andrews, Johnson and Johnson

Lauren Andrews has been involved with I Wish over the years, from volunteering as a guide when she was in university, to a panellist, a speaker and exhibitor.

Ringaskiddy-based Johnson and Johnson are gold partners at I Wish, and Lauren is the J&J lead.

“From as young as five, girls may start to absorb subtle biases that start to suggest STEM isn’t for them, which then continues into secondary school when it comes to selecting subjects at both junior and senior cycle.

"Once these preconceived notions enter the minds of young people, it then becomes quite difficult for girls to see how a career in STEM can align with their personal interests or values – especially if there aren’t many role models visible who can jump in,” said Lauren.

Crucially, she said students attend I Wish at “pivotal stages in their own development”, adding: “These students are going through a process of defining who they are and begin to envision who their future selves may be – seeing these women at I Wish who are stellar rock stars in their field can in turn bridge the gap between ambition and reality, and in turn help to shape these roadmaps.”

Lauren also highlighted how the world is facing “complex challenges that will require interdisciplinary STEM solutions” and a diverse talent pipeline to ensure a workforce fit for future industries.

Encouragingly, she is seeing female participation in STEM improving. “It has been a slow process, but it is definitely going in the right direction, our mission now is to keep the momentum and shift from female participation being ‘the right thing to do’ but something that is a given that we are all interested in.

“I think there will always be more to do as we go through the next challenge in society, however, it is important for us all to celebrate each of our successes and those who made it all happen. The more we take a community approach, the easier and lighter the load becomes for everyone.”