Ferrovial and the Junior Achievement Foundation Are Working Together to Encourage STEM Careers

Today is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day that highlights the need to attract women to research roles, especially in engineering and technology, and to retain and support that talent. This objective has Ferrovial’s support.

For the fifth year running, Ferrovial is participating in this initiative, which has led trainings for students in high school, university, and vocational training nationwide. Its volunteers give these sessions, sharing their professional experience with young people. Thanks to this work, students develop essential skills for their future, such as adaptability, handling frustration, problem-solving, and decision-making. They also address relevant skills for their age, such as understanding information on the internet by identifying so-called fake news.

Objective and results of the Orienta-T program

Orienta-T’s objective is for young people to reflect on their professional future; learn about STEM-related job opportunities, as well as the important work done by women in these fields; and free themselves from existing gender stereotypes about these professions. This is reflected in the impact study carried out by the Junior Achievement Foundation in partnership with the University of Murcia. The study shows how, after participating in this educational program, the false notion that boys are better at math than girls is 82% less prevalent.

More than 43,800 students in high school, university, and vocational training have taken this educational training since it was launched in 2016. Through 16 capsules and a set of 69 motivational videos from STEM professionals, young people consider their interests and skills, discover different professional opportunities that these careers lead to, and think about the areas they would like to work in for the future.

Companies participating in the program 

Orienta-T is sponsored by HP Inc, Pfizer, Endesa, and Ferrovial, and the program has partnered with ABB, Sacyr, Avanade, and AT&T. It will take place during the current school year across Spain, both in-person and online, thus adapting to teachers’ needs. More than 13,500 individuals are expected to participate this year, thanks to the involvement and commitment of more than 100 volunteers.