Deconstruct the clichés. Free vocations. Put an end to preconceived ideas about supposedly masculine professions. This is the challenge of the national operation “They move for orientation”. At the Saint-Hilaire college in Grasse, for this 2nd edition, seven professionals from the Grasse area recently came to share their life journey with around sixty 3rd year schoolgirls, a few months before their career choices.
“Scientific professions are quite stereotypical”
They are engineers, works technicians, project managers or nutrition engineers. So many diverse profiles to promote scientific fields among girls. Not easy. “Because scientific professions are quite stereotypical, observes Marie-Pierre Vandenbroucke, maths teacher and gender equality representative in Saint-Hilaire. We have the impression that girls are preventing themselves from entering these sectors. However, 40% of girls are good at science in high school. And in the end, only 24% of engineers are women.
In small groups, these active women told stories, reassured and advised. Breaking invisible chains by recounting their experience. “We must not put up barriers”, notably advised Anne Barnier who works in a design office for the development of public spaces. “We can change our path if we are curious and motivated”, reassured Laure Parent, hydraulic engineer at the Belletrud canal water authority.
For these 14-year-old schoolgirls from this rather working-class neighborhood, the range of possibilities expanded during this morning of discussions. Small seeds of confidence and openness to try to move forward.
Geographical brakes
Besides the gender prism, the other mental barrier in the orientation process would be geographical. “Not only do girls have difficulty projecting themselves into a career far from those around them, but they have difficulty leaving Grasse. Most students choose training available locally,” observes the teacher.
In terms of orientation, around 50% of Saint-Hilaire 9th graders continue in the general sector, and 50% in vocational high schools or others.
Labeled as a girls-boys equality college last year, Saint-Hilaire is working to reach grade 2.
And will notably host the “March for Equality” operation, with professionals who will also come to talk about their profession.
