+Women +Future: Awakening Vocations - +Dones +Futur: despertem vocacions

Good Practice

Equality

+Women +Future: Awakening Vocations – +Dones +Futur: despertem vocacions

Encouraging educational and professional aspirations among girls and young women

Catalan Government

Spain

Regional policy

POLICY OBJECTIVE

The programme +Women +Future: Awakening Vocations (“+Dones +Futur: despertem vocacions”) is an initiative aimed at encouraging educational and professional aspirations among girls and young women, highlighting female role models and combating gender stereotypes that continue to shape their educational and career pathways. The programme connects the education sector with companies and organisations from a range of professional fields, particularly industry and STEAM areas, and progressively also the primary sector.

CONTEXT

Gender inequalities in the choice of studies and professional careers emerge from the earliest educational stages, limiting future opportunities for girls and young women. Persistent stereotypes and the lack of female role models in certain sectors contribute to horizontal segregation in the labour market and to the reproduction of gender gaps. In this context, it is essential to bring real role models and meaningful experiences closer in order to broaden professional aspirations.

POLICY DESCRIPTION

The +Women +Future: Awakening Vocations programme is primarily delivered through school visits by pupils from primary, secondary, upper secondary education and vocational education and training to nearby companies and organisations committed to gender equality.

These visits are complemented by teaching materials and support resources addressed both to educational centres and to participating companies and organisations, with the aim of ensuring an educational experience with a gender perspective and transformative potential. The programme places particular emphasis on showcasing women professionals and creating spaces for direct dialogue with pupils.

RESULTS

The project has experienced steady growth in participation and territorial reach. For the 2025–2026 academic year, 74 educational centres and 31 companies and organisations from across Catalonia are registered.

The programme’s evolution demonstrates its potential:

In the 2024–2025 academic year, 260 pupils from four educational centres took part, with nine visits to three industrial companies.
In the 2023–2024 academic year, the initiative began with 6 visits to four companies in the automotive sector, involving a total of 138 pupils.

The +Women +Future: Awakening Vocations programme is promoted by the Ministry of Equality and Feminism of the Catalan Government, in collaboration with educational centres, companies and organisations committed to gender equality.

Policy's Website

donesfutur.igualtat@gencat.cat