Diving deep into the role of women in STEM: Abbie Vlahakis

"We need more trailblazing women in STEM," says Abbie Vlahakis, our trailblazing woman of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).

I caught up with Abbie at Millennium Point, where she is the CEO, for an informative discussion about women in STEM.

Her insights into the role of women in STEM are inspired, echoing the need for more trailblazing women in this dynamic field.

Hailing from a mining village in Wales, Abbie has an interesting story.

Abbie grew up during the era of mining closures in Wales, therefore with limited local opportunities, her aspiration to attend University was the driving force to succeeding at School.

“I was naturally more prone to maths than the arts, so I was drawn to Business and later went onto become a tax advisor for two of the World’s largest financial services providers.

Abbie will say the route was not a straightforward one by any means, but it was quite a memorable one. “I’ve learned a lot of things along the way.”

 One  key milestone, as she tells me, is meeting with a mentor that encouraged her. ”I had an absolutely fantastic mentor who really believed in me, encouraged and gave me the confidence to start believing that I was good at what I was doing.

We move onto talking about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and the work Millennium Point does as a charity across the city and region to inspire young people and in particular young women to consider careers in STEM.

“One of the things that we do here at Millennium Point is to make young women, as well as their teachers and parents, aware of STEM careers.

“Only 28 per cent of the workforce is female in STEM. That’s definitely an improvement, but still not where it should be and there’s a long way to go.”

For the past 10 years, Millennium Point has been running a scholarship programme to fund young individuals pursuing STEM related degrees..

Several young women have excelled with first-class degrees through the scholarship programme with one notable recipient, currently completing her degree while working and aiming to become a town planner.

They also provide grants to schools, supporting initiatives including updating computer suites and encouraging students to explore fields like engineering and computing.

“The only way forward is to break down barriers,” Abbie remarks.

“Businesses need to look at their own processes, policies and analyse the barriers that are stopping young women from entering STEM industries.

A lot of young women are put off at the thought of taking up careers which have traditionally been associated with men and this is something that we have encountered when speaking with young women in schools and colleges across the West Midlands. We work with a lot of organisations that go into schools and colleges to address this gender stereotype so that a whole pool of talent is available for future careers

And as for her leadership style?

"I don’t micromanage.

“It’s something that I have learned from both good and poor leaders in the past. Instead, I respect and value my diverse team's expertise in areas like facilities, commercial, people, and finance.

“It’s all about empowerment—everyone has a voice, and I encourage individuals to excel in their roles and they have my full support.

"Having and being role models are the way forward.”

“I remember in one of my previous roles, I set my sights on being promoted through the grades but I never imagined myself being the actual CEO until we got our first female CEO.  The glass ceiling was shattered and it suddenly became a possibility.  This is the true power of role models."

Drawing the interview to a close, I ask Abbie about what advice she would give to the next generation of STEM leaders?

“They have chosen the absolute right career. “This is the future, and they can go on to have the most fantastic careers.  Having STEM skills doesn't mean that you stay within one industry. You can move around using these skills and work in whatever sector you want.”

“Equip yourself with proper skills, aim for fantastic careers, and be trailblazers for the next generation of women.”

“Not only can you contribute to solving global challenges, but you also have the power to create innovative businesses—think Apple, think iPhone.

“STEM is about fixing and solving problems, and you have the capability to shape the future and have a positive impact on society."