Women in STEM: Fostering Inclusivity in the Battery Industry
The battery industry plays a key role in the UK’s decarbonisation efforts across transport, energy storage, and manufacturing. Supporting and attracting talent from a diverse range of backgrounds is crucial to securing the long-term success of the battery industry, and achieving the goal of net zero. Today we celebrate the launch of The Women in Batteries Mentoring Programme. STEMAZING, working with Innovate UK Business Connect, have created a programme for women and allies in the battery industries, designed to build connections across the UK’s battery supply chain.
Women working in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields face unique challenges that make targeted support programmes valuable. This initiative supports women and non-binary people across all career stages working in the UK battery industry. The focus lies in professional development, confidence-building, and creating meaningful networks in this rapidly evolving sector.
The STEMAZING programme features two elements to maximise its effect: dedicated Mentor Training and structured Mentoring Sessions. The training gives both new and experienced mentors fresh viewpoints and strategies to best support their mentees. Sessions include guidance frameworks, coaching tools and resources for ongoing development.
The programme matches participants based on their goals and what they expect to achieve. This matching process will give a strong foundation for supportive relationships throughout the programme. The mentoring sessions see a 2 hour commitment per month for each mentee-mentor partnership over the course of 6 months.
At Nyobolt, we support effective mentorship, and see this initiative as an opportunity to strengthen the battery ecosystem and ensure diverse voices shape the future of battery technology. The current cohort features four of Nyobolt’s team, in both mentee and mentor roles.
Nyobolt’s Commitment to Women in STEM
Nyobolt believes in creating and fostering meaningful opportunities for women in the battery industry. This state-of-the-art programme offers more than traditional mentorship models – it helps build genuine connections between mentees and mentors within the cohort.
Several of Nyobolt’s team are involved in the scheme – those in mentor roles describe their motivation for being part of it:
Rowena Brugge said “I recognise and appreciate the importance of having female role models and mentors during my career so far – these positive experiences played a big part in giving me the confidence and feeling of authenticity to move forward in a scientific career. Now I am managing people myself, I want to help support the next generation whilst also developing and learning through the experience of being a mentor for the first time. This feels like an impactful programme to be part of, with lots of support and a range of resources for mentors”.
Daniela Sanchez-Lopez mentioned that “This is a great opportunity to share experiences and jointly reflect with the mentee on different challenges and how to overcome them. It is a two-way process that expands your awareness of how your background, life experiences and a growth mindset have an impact on your professional and personal journey”.
Dylan Maxwell believes that “I have been lucky to have excellent and supportive female mentors throughout my career, and I understand the importance of these role models within a male-dominated industry. They have helped to shape my views on leadership and inclusion. I also acknowledge that my identity offers me certain advantages, and I saw this mentoring scheme as a structured way to give something back to someone who might benefit from additional support. I have always enjoyed teaching others and find it rewarding to help people build confidence and unlock their potential. The scheme also enables me to develop as a mentor so I can continue supporting and empowering the next generation of women in STEM.”
“I’m excited to begin the program as a mentee as I think it is a valuable opportunity to learn from others with more experience in the industry, and hopefully it will help progress my own career!” said Laura Wheatcroft.
Nyobolt’s leadership team deeply appreciates everyone who has dedicated their time and expertise to this crucial initiative. The programme launch showcases how companies can create inclusive STEM environments and strengthen the talent pipeline across the battery community.
Impact and Future of Female-Led STEM Initiatives
Women leaders in STEM are creating real value in industries worldwide. Their innovative approaches bring multiple benefits despite their historically low numbers in the field. Recent studies show that bridging the gender gap creates several advantages. These include better diversity, faster economic growth, enhanced research outcomes, and products that serve everyone better [1].
Role models make a substantial difference. Female students show more interest in STEM when they see successful women in these fields. This exposure shapes their career goals and outlook positively [2]. The numbers tell an important story – women make up just 34% of STEM jobs compared to 52% in non-STEM sectors [3].
The value of mentorship is clear – about 70% of women credit their career success to mentors and support networks. Another 81% believe that helping other women is vital to success. The benefits flow both ways – 87% of mentors and mentees feel strengthened by their relationships [4].
These growing initiatives pave the way for new breakthroughs, better problem-solving approaches, and economic progress. The result is a STEM industry that welcomes and benefits from diverse talents and perspectives.
References
[1] – https://professionalprograms.mit.edu/blog/leadership/the-gender-gap-in-stem/
[2] – https://www.povertyactionlab.org/policy-insight/advancing-womens-representation-and-opportunities-stem-fields-through-exposure-role
[3] – https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20212/participation-of-demographic-groups-in-stem
[4] – https://asm.org/articles/2024/october/women-stem-importance-mentorship-community