Primary education, the cradle of technological vocations in the new Tech Talks episode
Spain faces a structural deficit in STEM vocations: only 2.28% of young graduates choose these fields
The new episode explores how to spark girls’ interest in technology and challenge stereotypes from the classroom
Spain’s economic and social future depends on its ability to generate scientific and technological talent. However, current data reveal a structural challenge: the share of university graduates in Spain completing STEM degrees stands at 24.7%, below the European Union average of 26.9%. According to a recent report on the challenges surrounding these vocations, academic difficulty is no longer the main deterrent for students. Instead, uncertainty about which academic path to choose (35%) and lack of awareness about career opportunities (16%) are now the primary barriers. This is compounded by a break in mathematics learning, with 72% of secondary school students reporting difficulties in understanding the subject, which ultimately influences their future choices. In addition, only 2.28% of teachers have training in a STEM subject, according to a report by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE).
Primary education: a critical point for equality
To examine this reality, Gradiant has dedicated the third episode of the new season of its Tech Talks series to the role of primary education as a starting point for equal opportunities. In this session, experts and professionals discuss how childhood is the key stage when beliefs about “what we can become” are formed, and how teachers play a vital role in the early identification and promotion of technological talent among girls.
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Participants in this conversation include Amalia Lamarca del Campo (Project Coordinator for International Coordination at Fundación Balms) and, from the Gradiant team: Iria Pérez Pintos (Head of Legal and Labor Management), María González Pintos (Research Engineer of Intelligent Systems), Victoria González (Improvement Manager), and Anxo Tato Arias (Research Engineer of Advanced Communications).
The discussion highlights the need to combat stereotypes embedded in textbooks and games, as well as the importance of creating school environments that validate curiosity. This intervention is urgent, given that girls already report lower mathematical self-confidence than boys at the age of six, despite having comparable performance levels.
A system lacking specialists
The talk also addresses one of the system’s major bottlenecks: teacher training. Currently, only 2.28% of qualified education graduates specialise in STEM disciplines, and 40% of mathematics places in teacher training programmes remain unfilled in Spain. This shortage of specialists limits the capacity to inspire vocations from an early age. Through this Tech Talk with a gender perspective, Gradiant aims to highlight this gap and propose solutions that better connect education with the realities of the labour market.
Gradiant’s commitment to equality in ICT
The launch of this second season reinforces Gradiant’s long-standing commitment to equity, a central element of its corporate culture. Since 2018, every March the technology centre has celebrated Women’s Month with pioneering initiatives such as Mujeres Tecnólogas and Tecnólogas del Siglo XXI, designed to recover historical role models and give visibility to the women currently leading innovation in Galicia.
Three episodes of this second season have already been released. In addition to this third episode focused on education, viewers can watch the first two on Gradiant’s YouTube channel, covering social media and AI, and female entrepreneurship and leadership.
This initiative is made possible thanks to the funding of the R&D projects ICAREWOUNDS (funded by the European Commission through the THCS partnership and Horizon Europe) and QUORUM (funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU and the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan).
ICAREWOUNDS has received funding from the European Commission, ISCIII, NCBR, HRB, AKA and MUR under the Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) partnership within the Horizon Europe programme (GA No. 101095654).
QUORUM is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU and the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
