A recent study on the STEM Education for Empowerment Project (STEEP) found that young women in Kenya are shifting into technical careers after receiving STEM training. The study documented participants moving into land surveying and mapping, independent plumbing, industrial mechatronics and electrical engineering. One participant who had initially planned to remain at home and depend on her parents became an independent plumbing contractor after completing the programme. This shift highlights the potential of technical training to alter career choices among young women.
The STEEP programme combines technical and soft-skills training, mentorship and work-based learning in market-relevant vocational courses. Training runs for about four months followed by a two-month internship. The study found that 63 percent of STEEP participants were employed, compared with 48 percent of applicants who were not selected and 52 percent of young women in a second comparison group. This suggests that the programme has a positive impact on employment outcomes for young women.
According to Phyllis Machio, co-author of the research, "These findings show us what is possible when young women are given the opportunity to develop technical skills, confidence and practical workplace experience." The programme helped challenge perceptions around jobs considered unsuitable for women. One participant said she was happy to be doing plumbing despite perceptions that women cannot work as plumbers. The researchers found that structured life-skills training, female role models and hands-on internships were important in encouraging participants who had initially been hesitant about STEM to pursue technical careers.
Econometric analysis estimated that participation in the STEEP programme increased the likelihood of employment by up to 26 percentage points compared with one comparison group and 18 percentage points compared with the other. Participants also recorded higher average monthly earnings of Sh6,826, compared with Sh5,216 among non-selected applicants and Sh5,513 in the second comparison group. The researchers estimated that monthly earnings were up to 22 percent higher than the second comparison group.
However, the study cautioned that training alone does not eliminate barriers facing women entering male-dominated occupations. Participants reported discrimination and harassment in workplaces, while others faced difficulties obtaining formal certification after completing their training. The six-month programme was also considered too short by some participants. These findings highlight the need for continued support and resources for women in STEM fields.
The study recommends expanding the STEEP model to marginalised counties and embedding life-skills training and female mentorship into TVET STEM programmes. It also calls for stronger partnerships between the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) and employers to provide internships linked to employment, as well as stronger workplace safeguards for women entering STEM careers. Women currently account for only 38 per cent of STEM enrolment in Kenya’s TVET institutions, underscoring the gap that policymakers and employers face in building a larger female technical workforce.
The STEEP programme has shown promising results in empowering young women to pursue technical careers. As Kenya continues to develop its technical workforce, initiatives like STEEP can play a crucial role in promoting gender equality and addressing skills gaps in the labour market. By providing women with the opportunity to develop technical skills, confidence and practical workplace experience, programmes like STEEP can help to break down stereotypes and promote greater inclusion in male-dominated fields.
Key points
- Participation in the STEEP programme increased the likelihood of employment by up to 26 percentage points.
- Women in the programme recorded higher average monthly earnings of Sh6,826.
- The programme helped challenge perceptions around jobs considered unsuitable for women, with participants moving into land surveying, plumbing, and electrical engineering.
