Mentoring for future female engineers: pilot at the Higher Polytechnic School of Zamora

Abstract

The gender gap is a problem that affects all areas and regions in the world. The lack of females depends on different external and internal factors that make it a complex problem. In particular, this gap is most pronounced in engineering. Engineering and technical studies have a shortage of female vocations and a high dropout rate. In this paper, we present the pilot peer-mentoring programme, which has been carried out in the 2020-21 academic year at the University of Salamanca in the Higher Polytechnic School of Zamora. Mentoring has been given to first-year female students of engineering degrees. The implementation of the pilot programme has provided helpful information for implementing the mentoring programme from the 2021-22 academic year.