Multinational clothing company H&M, in partnership with Scifest Africa, has unveiled a science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM) programme, to inspire young girls from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue education and careers in these fields.
STEAM is a progression of the original STEM acronym by adding one more layer – art − so that students leverage both hard and soft skills to solve problems.
According to H&M South Africa, the two-day STEAM initiative will take place in Cape Town on 4 and 5 October.
Due to the rapid technological advancements, STEAM fields are taking a bigger role in society and businesses. Therefore, bridging the gender gap in these fields is a crucial way for girls and women to expand their employment opportunities and businesses, says the clothing brand.
H&M, together with Scifest Africa, will share knowledge and information with communities to raise awareness and empower underrepresented youth.
The two-day initiative will see young students learn about the possibilities within STEAM and fashion, as well as get hands-on experience in solving real-life problems, says H&M.
“The STEAM programme is an initiative we are proud to present in partnership with Scifest Africa,” says Caroline Nelson, country manager of H&M South Africa.
“One of our core missions as a brand is to always drive local representation and diversity, whilst uplifting the communities that we operate in. As a company that operates with data, science and technology daily, this is a perfect opportunity for us to empower our future leaders.”
Monica Newton, CEO of the National Arts Festival, adds: “We are honoured to have partnered with H&M on this journey to launch their first STEAM programme in the country.
“We have a long-standing history of providing STEM workshops in the country and addressing the skill gap that we are currently facing in the country. With the partnership with H&M, we can add art into the programme and open the possibilities of what is possible in those fields.”
In addition to the STEAM initiative, H&M states that selected candidates will undergo a three-month mentoring programme.
The mentoring programme will include one-on-one sessions on key topics with mentors from H&M South Africa selected for their expertise or experience in each field, it concludes.