Tech: Why Belgium struggles to attract women to engineering professions
While the technology sector is expanding rapidly, Belgium is facing a major challenge: the underrepresentation of women in engineering professions. This situation contrasts sharply with the results observed in other regions of the world, particularly in Morocco.
According to recent data, Morocco now ranks second in the world for the number of female industrial engineers. This success is explained by strong political will and the early promotion of scientific careers among young girls. In sub-Saharan Africa as well, the trend shows a rapid increase in the feminization of these technical sectors.
In Belgium, the situation is different. Despite numerous initiatives to encourage STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) studies, the number of female graduates in these fields remains stable and relatively low. Experts point to persistent stereotypes that still influence the choice of secondary and higher education studies.
Belgian companies, which are suffering from a talent shortage in the digital sector, are thus losing an essential pool of skills. To bridge this gap, the Belgian technology sector is looking to draw inspiration from international models that have succeeded in breaking down cultural and social barriers.
In conclusion, the comparison with other countries shows that a profound transformation is possible. For Belgium, the challenge is now to make technology careers more inclusive in order to remain competitive on the European and global stage.