At the Ukrainian defense company Fire Point, which currently employs around 7,500 people, women make up no more than 15% of all employees. The company’s CEO, Iryna Terekh, believes that there are still few women in the defense industry and STEM not because they lack the necessary abilities, but because of a lack of support and stereotypes about "men’s" professions. She said this in a new episode of "FEDORIV VLOG," UNN reports.
According to Iryna Terekh, even at Fire Point, where conditions have been created for women to work, their share among employees remains small.
"Very few. Unfortunately, even at our company, where it would seem that all the conditions are in place for this, women make up no more than 15% of all employees. But there is a joke at our company. When other companies call themselves ‘miltech’ companies, we call ourselves a ‘milftech’ company. Accordingly, this joke has many facets — from ‘hee-hee, ha-ha’ to more philosophical ones. In fact, one of my friends came up with the idea. He is currently serving. It was very funny. This analogy lifted my spirits, and I decided that everyone should know about it now. ‘Milftech’ is now a trademark," the CEO of Fire Point said.
However, according to Iryna Terekh’s concept, milftech should be more than just a joke or a name for products. Its task is to unite women and draw their attention to opportunities in miltech and STEM.
"Our task is not to produce; our task is to unite. I realized that there are very few women in the defense industry, or, if we broaden the framework, in STEM. Not because women are incapable of something, but because they did not know they could do it. No one told them about it," she explained.
The CEO of Fire Point also noted that women may encounter sexism throughout their careers, which, in her opinion, affects their willingness to try themselves in fields traditionally perceived as male-dominated.
"It is also important to understand that many women have encountered sexism during their careers, and perhaps, drop by drop, this has led to the feeling that they should not try something new or enter a male-dominated field," she said.
At the same time, Iryna Terekh emphasized that she does not consider the defense industry a male-dominated field and invited women to join this cause.
"I suggest that all girls, women and perhaps even grandmothers, if they have such a desire, join the struggle of Ukraine’s existential fight against russia. And if you believe that you are ready to change professions and have certain skills — because the skills needed are not exclusively engineering-related — joining our team is a short-term goal. In the long term, I understand that I would like to develop and popularize the importance of engineering education among girls and women. To create some kind of supportive community that would provide a certain foundation for those who feel it is difficult for them to be in a male-dominated field, because I do not like the division of leadership according to gender. There is not a single operation in our company that requires sexual organs to perform it. And thank God," the CEO of Fire Point emphasized.
According to her, through the future milftech manifesto, Fire Point wants to inspire women to try themselves in fields that may previously have seemed inaccessible to them.
"If, through our future milftech manifesto — something seemingly humorous — we can inspire someone to try something they were told was not for girls, we will be happy to support them in whatever ways we can," Iryna Terekh said.