Girls whose mothers are educated in technology opt for technical subjects | Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

In 2022, 28 percent of all boys in the fourth year of secondary education had chosen a science and technology subject cluster. Among girls, this share was 10 percent. These percentages differed according to the type of education. However, boys in all types of education were much more likely to be choosing science and technology subjects than girls.

Girls whose mother completed a technical education more likely to choose technical subjects

Students whose parents had a technical education were more likely to choose STEM subjects than students whose parents did not have a technical education. Among girls, this is particularly true for those whose mothers were educated in science and technology: 21 percent of them opted for technical subjects in secondary school, compared to 10 percent of girls whose mothers had no technical education. Among boys this was 40 percent and 28 percent, respectively.

The father’s educational background also influences whether children choose a STEM subject cluster. Students whose father was technically educated were more likely to choose science and technology subjects than students whose fathers did not have a technical education. This was the same for boys as for girls. These figures hardly change when background characteristics are taken into account, such as family composition, the type of education and the school at which the student is enrolled.

Education level of parents influences choice for technical profile

Girls with parents who completed college or university education were more likely to study STEM subjects than other girls. This was not the case for boys: regardless of their parents’ level of education, they were just as likely to study science and technology. However, when background characteristics such as family composition, type of education and the school where the student is enrolled are taken into account, it was found that the parents’ level of educational has the same degree of influence on girls as it has on boys.