Why Representation Matters in STEM Careers

Let’s talk about people.

Much of the conversation around cyber security and STEM focuses on technical controls, tooling, frameworks and policies. These discussions are necessary, they form the backbone of effective security and innovation.

But they are not the whole picture.

For this post, I will be stepping away from technology and process and discussion an completely different issue, people.

Every system is designed, maintained, monitoring and defended by individuals. Every incident response depends on human judgment, communication, and decision-making under pressure. If we want stronger, more resilient STEM industries in the future, we need to beyond technical controls and technology itself and ask a more fundamental question: who is being encouraged, supported, and empowered to enter these fields?

Exposure Starts Earlier Than we Think

Discussions about increasing the number of women in STEM often focus on recruitment strategies, graduate schemes, or leadership positions. While these are important, they are typically too late in the journey.

Career decisions are shaped long before CVs are written. Subject choices at school, confidence in technical ability, and early perceptions of “who STEM is for” all influence whether young women even consider these careers as viable options.

For many, the issue is not disinterest, it is unfamiliarity.

Fields such as cyber security, engineering, or data science are rarely explained in accessible, real-world terms at school level. When they are monitored, they are often framed as highly technical or reserved for those who excel effortlessly at maths or computing. This portrayal discourages capable students who may not see themselves reflected in that image – myself included.

You cannot choose a path you do not know exists.

A Personal Reflection on Exposure

Looking back on my own time at high school, computer science was never a subject I seriously considered. It wasn’t presented as an option that seemed accessible to me. It didn’t feel relevant either. I had very little understanding of what is actually involved.

Up until my sixth year of high school, I wasn’t aware of the opportunities that could come from studying computer science, or what careers in technology and cyber security really looked like. The subject was largely framed as being heavily maths focused, something that has never been a strong point of mine. As a result, I mentally ruled it out early.

It wasn’t that I lacked interest or capability. I simply lacked exposure.

That changed when I had the opportunity to complete a National Progression Award (NPA) in Cyber Security at one of the local colleges. For the first time, I was introduced to STEM in a way that was practical, hands on, and something I very much enjoyed . Cyber Security wasn’t just maths and logic, it was about protecting systems, understanding risk and solving challenges that mattered.

Through that experience, I could finally see a career path for myself in a STEM subject. More importantly, I could see that STEM was not limited to one narrow skill sets, or reserved only for those who performed well in traditional academics.

That exposure made all the difference.

This experience is not unique. Many young women rule themselves out of STEM before they understand what the field involve. When subjects are presented narrowly, or without context, they unintentionally exclude those who might otherwise thrive.

Representation Turns Awareness into Belief

Exposure introduces possibility and curiosity, but representation is what builds confidence.

Seeing women working in STEM roles – across different seniority levels, disciplines, and backgrounds – helps normalise the idea that these careers are not exclusionary. Representation answers unspoken questions: Is this realistic for someone like me? Do I belong here?

Importantly, representation is most powerful when it is authentic. Overly polished success stories can unintentionally create distance, suggesting that success in STEM requires perfection or an extraordinary trajectory. What resonates best are honest accounts of learning, setbacks, career changes, and growth over time.

When young women can see real people navigating STEM careers in realistic ways, possibility becomes belief.

Confidence is Often the Barrier, Not Capability

It is important to acknowledge that capability is rarely the limiting factor. Research and experience consistently show that young women are just as capable in STEM as their peers. Confidence is the challenge.

Without early exposure and visible role models, self-doubt will fill the gap. Many young women underestimate their readiness for technical subjects or careers, even when their performance suggests otherwise. Over time, confidence diminishes quietly and this can often lead to closing doors being they are even opened.

Addressing this requires more than encouragement. It requires consistent reinforcement that STEM skills are learned, developed, and strengthened, not innate traits that some people naturally have.

The Role of Industry in Shaping the Pipeline

Encouraging more young women into STEM cannot be placed solely on schools or education systems. Industry has both the opportunity and the responsibility to play a meaningful role.

This can take many forms:

• Engaging with schools and colleges to explain what STEM roles actually involve in practice.
• Offering mentoring, work experience, or shadowing opportunities that demystify the day-to-day reality of the work.
• Being visible and approachable, particularly at early-career and mid-career levels.
• Normalising non-linear career paths, career breaks, and transferable skills.

Building the Future Pipeline Starts Now

Creating a stronger, more inclusive STEM pipeline is a long-term investment. The outcomes may not be immediate, but the impact is far-reaching. A future workforce shaped by early exposure and meaningful representation will be better equipped to solve complex, high-stakes problems, from cyber resilience and digital trust to innovation and infrastructure.

If we want better leadership, better decision-making, and better outcomes in STEM, the work cannot begin at recruitment alone. It starts earlier, with visibility, access, and the confidence to believe that these careers are not just possible, but attainable.

The future of STEM depends on who we inspire today.