On 5 October, TotalEnergies in Denmark hosted female primary and secondary school students focusing on a future career path in science for the campaign day Girls' Day in Science.
Girls' Day in Science is organized by Naturvidenskabernes Hus, a non-profit knowledge centre that builds bridges between schools and businesses. The aim of the day is to attract more female talent to the STEM field by giving them the opportunity to visit and be inspired by various companies, including TotalEnergies, Denmark's leading oil and gas company.
With a diverse and international workforce of 1,200 employees in Denmark, of which a majority is occupied within STEM, the campaign day is of great local importance for TotalEnergies.
"Young women bring unique perspectives, experiences and skills that build the talent pool in STEM, ensuring more diverse, inclusive and dynamic teams," explain Hazel Jayne Ross and Christina Petersen, Diversity & Inclusion Officers for TotalEnergies in Denmark.
Girls' Day in Science is an opportunity for students to experience the exciting job opportunities that an education and career in science or engineering can bring.
To highlight that, the girls were introduced to TotalEnergies’ key activities in Denmark, attended a workshop on decommissioning and visited the onshore SMART Room that serves as a digital window to offshore. They were also introduced to our Esbjerg and Copenhagen affiliates of TWICE, Women's Initiative for Communication and Exchange.
TotalEnergies takes responsibility for more girls in science and technology
During the company visit, a number of TotalEnergies' female employees took the stage to share some of their personal successes and experiences. One of them is Lene Karoline Ejlersen, Operations Integrity Lead in Esbjerg, who expressed excitement about meeting the students:
"It was a pleasure to participate in this event and to tell the girls about my education and career path. As I shared in my presentation, I used to hate physics - and look where I am now!" says Lene Karoline Ejlersen and continues, "The most important thing to remember is that the STEM field opens up many different and exciting opportunities."
According to Maiken Lykke Lolck, Director of Naturvidenskabernes Hus, such encounters help create a space for girls that is otherwise rarely possible:
"Meeting role models among the organizers is a key element of Girls' Day in Science, because we know it's important to meet someone you can look up to when making educational choices," she explains and highlights other benefits of the event:
"We see that the girls engage in a different way when they are away on their own. For example, they don't fall into the usual stereotypes where they might let the boys take over when it comes to exploring and experimenting. Plus, they get to see and experience that science skills can make a huge difference," she says.
In addition to our participation at Girls' Day in Science, TotalEnergies in Denmark also took part in this year's Science Festival at Esbjerg Gymnasium on 28 September, where 500 students were invited to learn more about our activities and possible career paths within the Company.
About Girls' Day in Science 2022
Girls' Day in Science is an annual nationwide campaign day in Denmark during which companies, organizations and educational institutions across the country open their doors to thousands of girls from primary and secondary schools to work on practical and real-life activities associated with the STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).
Here, girls are invited inside to take part in practical and business-related workshops. The girls meet female staff and students who talk about their educational choices and career opportunities in the world of IT, technology and science.
