Earlier this week, the United Nations warned that progress in women’s rights is “vanishing” and based on the current trajectory it will take another 300 years to achieve complete gender equality. They stated that women worldwide face greater challenges in securing employment than previously believed. Despite this bleak outlook, it is crucial that we remain persistent in our efforts to combat this inequality.

By aligning efforts, governments, businesses, and academic institutions across the globe can increase women’s participation in education and employment to not only address gender inequality but also unlock sustained economic benefits, including an increase in annual GDP. Malaysia’s 2023 re-tabled budget includes commendable efforts to bring back 130,000 women, including new mothers, to the workforce.

The proliferation of technology can also be a key contributor to closing this gap, with online education being a good place to start. Equitable access to learning opportunities and flexible work not only helps address the growing skills challenge but also promotes positive career outcomes for women.

Online learning is narrowing gender education gaps and preparing women for in-demand jobs in the digital economy by removing barriers, improving gender inclusion in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, connecting them to rising skills and job opportunities, and motivating them to explore interests without limits. Here’s how.

1. Breaking down barriers: Women who struggle to access traditional educational institutions – often because of caregiving responsibilities – can achieve the education required to upskill themselves and enter high-demand, high-paying careers through online learning. The flexibility, affordability, and safety that online education provides have the potential to break down barriers that have historically disadvantaged women.

2. Promoting gender inclusivity in STEM fields: Despite an increase in women enrolling and graduating from tertiary education programs worldwide, they still face disadvantages, especially in ICT and engineering. They are underrepresented in STEM fields crucial for the growing technology and digital job sectors. However, it is encouraging to see women in Malaysia embrace online learning to develop these in-demand digital skills that are crucial to realize the country’s digital economy vision. The share of enrollments in STEM courses from Malaysian female learners on Coursera has risen from 29% in 2019 to 38% in 2022. 

3. Supporting women’s access to jobs of the future: Online learning is opening up new avenues to connect women to the jobs of the future through flexible, affordable, and fast-tracked learning and career pathways. Entry-level professional certificates on Coursera are curated by industry leaders like Google, IBM and Meta to prepare learners for a wide range of high-growth entry-level careers like Data Analyst, UX Designer, Application Developer, and Social Media Marketer, among others. Each certificate is designed for learners without prior industry experience to complete in 6 to 8 months on average (3-10 hours per week), fully online. Popular courses among women learners in Malaysia include Foundations: Data, Data Everywhere, Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design, Ask Questions to Make Data-Driven Decisions and Foundations of Digital Marketing and E-commerce, which all stack up to these industry micro-credentials.

4. Helping women expand horizons: This freedom to explore various interests is a valued benefit of online education, motivating learners to complete the courses they finally choose. Flexibility is a top priority for women learners specifically and is critical to keeping them in the education system. The range, cost, and accessibility of online courses also encourage more women to try new fields without a long-time commitment and heavy financial burden.

5. Improving gender equality in leadership positions: Raising a family gives women many of the professional skills employers are looking for like problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, teamwork and project management. By building technical skills online that complement professional skills, women will be well-positioned to take on new and expanded roles in the modern workforce.

Online learning is levelling the playing field for women by connecting them to fast-growing opportunities and better prospects. Such access can empower more women to reclaim lost ground in the labour market, and gain critical skills that prepare them for the careers of tomorrow.