Empowering Women to Pursue Careers in STEM
By Sydney Simone
Many women are expressing their gratitude and encouraging young girls to seek career opportunities in the field of STEM. The acronym STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Jobs that fall under one of those categories are typically male dominant.
According to the American Association of University Women, ladies make-up half of the workforce but only 28 percent have jobs in STEM. Now, workforces are encouraging kids to seek interest in STEM at a young age.
Project manager, Alexis Nicole White, who graduated college with a degree in communications during the 2008 recession, made the decision to switch to tech because she wanted better career opportunities and stability.
White, who’s also a mentor, says she’s encouraging and empowering young girls to do the same. The Purdue University graduate says she’s not only a woman but a Black woman. As a minority, she faces many challenges but she strongly encourages all women, no matter their background, to explore different projects, programs, and activities.
She says STEM careers aren’t going away anytime soon. The field is rapidly evolving. As a mother, White has some advice for parents.
“As parents, we all get these crazy projects that we have to do. You know, just think outside the box in terms of helping your kids explore. And then once you see that they identify an interest in roadblocks or whatever it is – find programs and then sign them up to see if they’re interested in it. And research shows that once girls can see it at an earlier age, they know that it’s attainable,” said White.
Careers in stem include coding, engineering, health, and computer science to name a few. There are some long-term benefits to working in a STEM field. There’s a high career trajectory and higher financial gains. You can make a six-figure salary.
White says she strongly encourages young girls interested in STEM to find a mentor, job shadow, and have conversations about what this field intel.
