SINGAPORE - As a child, Ms Shaine Lim could not consume dairy and gluten products because she had eczema.

Instead of having common foods such as cow’s milk and cakes, she had to adopt substitutes such as oat milk and rice crackers. The dietary challenges, however, sparked her interest in food science.

After attending a programme on health and life sciences in Secondary 3, Ms Lim was inspired to become a dietitian.

However, as she was weak in maths and science, her parents urged her to reconsider her choice, suggesting alternatives such as early childhood education.

But Ms Lim persisted and recently graduated from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), where she studied biotechnology.

The 18-year-old then went on a two-week job attachment from late March to early April at Johnson & Johnson, where she was involved in all aspects of day-to-day operations, such as taking sample measurements and handling stocks.

It was part of a collaboration between local non-profit United Women Singapore (UWS) and J.P. Morgan bank that gives young women from ITEs and polytechnics some hands-on experience in jobs related to Stem, which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The UWS-J.P. Morgan Programme aims to equip them with a range of Stem-related skills and knowledge through various activities such as job attachments and mentorships over a one-year period, with a focus on employability and career guidance.

Since its launch in March 2022, 99 female students have completed the programme, with 20 completing job attachments.

Ms Lim signed up for it in the last year of her two-year course in ITE.

At Johnson & Johnson, she learnt the processes, workflows and systems of a corporate laboratory, and picked up technical lab skills from her seniors. Her mentor also motivated her to continue pursuing a career in Stem fields.

“She said, ‘It doesn’t matter whether you come into the industry early or late, as long as you have the passion and interest to want to pursue this, just go for it’,’’ Ms Lim said.

“It really inspired me, (especially given) how I had struggled in my studies, and how my parents weren’t fully supportive at first. It made me want to go into it more.”

Now, Ms Lim is aiming to get a Diploma in Life Sciences at a private institution.

She also plans to move beyond science and study the other Stem subjects, namely technology, engineering and maths. Inspired by the women in IT that she met through the programme, she is now learning how to code. 

Stem-related industries are traditionally male-dominated fields. In 2015, only 30 per cent of Stem-related occupations were held by women, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

While that number is higher in Singapore – at a respectable 48 per cent – Singaporean women are under-represented in engineering and information technology.

Ms Cherie Yew, 18, has dreamt of becoming an app developer since she started playing mobile games as a child. With full support from her family, she is currently studying IT applications development at ITE.

She had a job attachment handling data at global strategy consultancy Robertsbridge Stonehaven through the Stem programme. She was there for three months, from January to March 2023.

She aims to publish a book on the different coding languages, such as Python and Java, to help students in their learning. She also aspires to work with data in Formula One.

The UWS-J.P. Morgan Programme exposed her to many career options through events such as the annual Stem Fest, where Stem companies set up booths to advise students on potential careers.

“(The programme) made me think more about what I want to do in my career, because I haven’t really thought about the jobs that I want to go for,” said Ms Yew.

“Under tech, there are many branches of jobs that I can choose from. Through this programme, I got to learn more about these jobs.”

According to a study by UWS in 2021, only 41 per cent of young women here aged 16 to 25 had a good level of awareness of Stem careers, compared with 60 per cent of young men.

Furthermore, 36 per cent of young women had internships in a Stem-related career, far lower than the 54 per cent of young men. This signals a major gap in the exposure of young women to Stem careers, a potential obstacle to closing the gender gap in those industries.

“Many young women feel a lack of confidence, rather than competence, in their ability to succeed in Stem (industries),” said Ms Georgette Tan, president of UWS.

“To address this issue... local schools are collaborating with community partners to offer mentoring programmes that expose girls to various opportunities and guidance in Stem industries ahead of embarking on their careers.”

When asked what advice she would give to others with similar interests, Ms Lim said: “Stem fields can be challenging and competitive, but don’t let that discourage you.”

She added: “Take advantage of every opportunity to learn and expand your knowledge. By staying determined, motivated and confident, I’m sure you’ll be able to achieve your goals, and make a positive impact in the Stem industry.”