Diversity in the workforce is crucial to promote innovation and progress, and one area where diversity is still extremely lacking is in STEM fields. Women are significantly underrepresented in STEM careers worldwide, and many countries are starting to understand the need for technically skilled women. That is why many countries, including Belgium, are taking active steps to promote diversity in STEM and are actively seeking international female talent to fill their technical job vacancies. In this article, we will explore the topic of women in STEM and highlight the benefits of working and living in Belgium for international talent.

Women in STEM: A Global Perspective

Women make up only a small percentage of the STEM workforce globally, with female representation ranging from 16.5% in engineering to 46% in life sciences. Women often face unique challenges in pursuing STEM careers, such as discrimination, lack of support, and stereotypes about their abilities.  Additionally, a majority of the global population has accepted co-parenting, where a woman has the possibility to also pursue a career next to raising the children. However, if we’re looking at the global situation, there are still a lot of countries where a woman is expected to run 100% of the household.

Women in STEM in Belgium

Belgium is known for its equality between the genders. Many Belgian women are able to reach top positions and are therefore an inspiration to others. But Belgium’s not there yet. That is why the country has implemented initiatives to encourage girls to pursue STEM careers and choose STEM subjects in school. They have role models like Cécile Gonfroid, Chief Information Officer for RTBF, and mathematician Ingrid Daubechies, who is known for her work in wavelets, to look up to.

Opportunities for International STEM Talent in Belgium

Companies in Belgium are always actively seeking international talent to fill their job vacancies. The country has a highly skilled workforce and a thriving research and innovation sector, but they are always short of capable hands. This is because they lose many skilled talents to big multinationals that are mostly stationed in other countries. That is why Belgium puts in the effort to be appealing to talent from abroad and there are many resources available to help international talent settle in, such as language classes, job search assistance and partners like Link2Europe that are specialized in accommodating international talent. 

Advantages of Working and Living in Belgium

Belgium has a high quality of life, excellent healthcare, great leisure activities and an excellent education system. Additionally, Belgium’s central location in Europe makes it easy to travel to other countries. Belgium is also one of the few countries in the world with automatic wage indexation, meaning your salary will go up when prices are rising. 

In conclusion, Belgium is actively working to address the diversity in STEM issues and that is why Belgium is an excellent place to work and live for international talent. It holds a high quality of life and many opportunities in various STEM fields. You should really consider Belgium as a place to work and live and join the country’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

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