Organizations nationwide are implementing innovative solutions to encourage more female STEM majors.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, while women comprise almost half of the workforce, their numbers are disproportionately low in these careers.
STEM, an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering and math, encompasses approximately 50 career paths, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. From programs such as special dorms for female engineering students to groups such as the U.S. Army and the Girl Scouts of America, there’s widespread encouragement for women choosing careers in these fields.
Figures listed in a document from the Department of Commerce entitled “Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation” show that men occupy 76 percent of STEM jobs, while women command just 24 percent. When all potential careers are taken into consideration, those numbers even out, with men comprising 52 percent of the workforce and women, 48 percent. Yet these careers pay women 33 percent more than careers in other industries, the same report notes.
There are certainly plenty of jobs available for both men and women in these challenging fields. The U.S. Department of Commerce predicts that STEM job growth will exceed 17 percent from 2008 to 2018, compared to the national job growth rate of 9.8 percent for the same time frame.
To counter the “boys’ club” feeling, several groups are taking steps to help girls and women feel welcome. The Girl Scouts of America conducted research on girls’ attitudes toward STEM careers and offers a tip sheet for adults on how to encourage girls to embrace these college majors. The U.S. Army worked with Hartford Community College and the Women in Defense, Mid Atlantic Chapter to host Discovery Day, a workshop to pique middle school girls’ interest in the sciences.
Colleges are also working hard to recruit and retain female students in STEM careers. Virginia Tech offers the Hypatia Women in Engineering Learning Community, a residence within Lee Hall for first-year female engineering students that provides them with role models and friendships. At Michigan Tech, the WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) program specifically recruits women engineering and science professors with the goal of providing female science and engineering majors with positive role models.
According to a document issued by The White House, President Barack Obama is committed to helping students move from the middle to the top of science and mathematics achievement in the coming years. Obama feels the greatest potential lies with women and girls.
“I always hear stories about how we can’t find enough engineers, we can’t find enough computer programmers. . . . And that’s why we’re emphasizing math and science. That’s why we’re emphasizing teaching girls math and science,” Obama said in the White House document.
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