Encouraging Women in STEM Careers

Science, technology engineering, and mathematics (STEM) need more women to join the STEM workforce. Being a 28-year veteran of the technology field, I can speak from experience on how painful and challenging it has been to see well-qualified women affected by gender stereotypes shy away from opportunities in STEM for several reasons. Women in science and growth for the representation of women in STEM should be top-of-mind for all educational and employment strategies. Colleges and universities creating scholarship programs and mentorship while promoting equal gender pay will help correct the underrepresented in STEM.

Unfair hiring practices, lack of representation at the C-level, intimidation, or unprofessional behavior from male colleagues hurt women joining STEM. Universities, including California State University at San Marcos (CSUSM) and California Institute of Art & Technology (CIAT.edu), have created groundbreaking programs, scholarships, and mentoring programs to help give younger women positive reinforcement and encouragement to take STEM classes and choose to major in these disciplines. 

In 2014, I co-founded the first Women in STEM hackathon at CSUSM. Over 165 high school girls showed up and spent the whole writing software code, talking to female mentors working in the technology field, and making new friends. CSUSM today continues to host the event with an even larger audience of high school female students wanting to know more about STEM.

Higher education programs in STEM education and related fields with the ability to create equal opportunity for young women to become of this industry will only make the technology, engineering, and mathematics field excel.

The Importance of Gender Diversity

Diversity in any industry is a great thing, specifically in STEM careers. A mix of people from different genders or educational backgrounds benefits the entire industry. The STEM field and technology will only excel and grow with diversity. Developing female role models in STEM should take the highest priority at the academic and employment leadership levels. 

Women comprise just 28 percent of the U.S. labor force but hold less than 20 percent of the nation’s STEM degrees. And in the fast-growth, high-paying tech industries, women are even further behind in full-time STEM jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they account for just 18 percent of computer scientists and engineers.

The number of women in STEM is low compared to men. Slowly, though, the percentages are increasing.

Although there are more female than male scientists, engineers, and mathematicians, the number of female employees working for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) companies is lower than the number of males employed by them.

Breaking Down the Barrier for Women to Join the STEM Field

As more people accept females can be successful in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, we’ll see more diversity among these professions.

For example, if there were no men in engineering, it would pay women 90% of what men are. However, because there are so few women in engineering, the pay gap between male and female employees has increased from 10% to 90%.

To bridge the gender wage gap, we must start by paying women equally for equal work. There is no reason women shouldn’t be paid the same as men and provided ample job options.

While women make up nearly half (49%) of all American employees, only 27 percent of STEM jobs go to women.

However, educating, developing, and hiring more female scientists and engineers can benefit both science and business. It can help increase the quality of research and development and improve the bottom line by bringing new ideas into the workplace.