The Picture(s) Of Success
Role models on television and in film are important for inspiring girls to pursue a STEAM education. According to the White House, in family films, characters who are STEAM professionals are five times more likely to be male than female, a gap that shows the media’s preference for assigning male characters STEAM professions. Seeing more successful female characters who work in STEAM fields would increase young girls’ likelihood of getting interested in STEAM subjects.
Making The Pitch
Career days in the classroom are often a child’s first introduction to professions they may want to consider later on in life. To encourage girls to pursue STEAM professions, it’s important for educators to tap parents who work in STEAM fields to participate, so they may inspire more girls to follow in their footsteps. In addition to sharing the value their work brings to society, they should also draw a direct connection with the subjects they learned about in secondary school.
If They Build It (And See It, And Touch It)
(And See It, And Touch It)
he Pitch
Exposure to the world encompassed by STEAM fields is critical in inspiring children to pursue related professions. Class and family field trips to science museums, power plants and industrial sites will give children a behind-the-scenes look into STEAM fields; laboratory experiments, coding challenges and building miniature robots provide invaluable hands-on experience with real-world applications.
Guiding Lights
(And See It, And Touch It)
he Pitch
Having a mentor in college can be instrumental for female students considering a degree in a STEAM field. The mentor, who is typically a professor or an upperclassman, gives freshmen the support and encouragement they may need in order to declare a STEAM major after their sophomore year. Further, mentors’ networks of other professors and STEAM professionals can help female students advance their academic work both at the graduate and professional level.
Training Days
(And See It, And Touch It)
he Pitch
It’s no secret, internships are vital for female college students who want to work in a STEAM field. That’s why it’s important to get started early on, in their freshman year, securing these positions in both the private and public sectors. What’s more, the likelihood of getting hired for a job in a STEAM field increases significantly if the applicant has had internship, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Birds Of A Feather Succeed Together
In addition to helping students secure internships, colleges typically have a number of clubs and associations dedicated to STEAM fields, providing female students with valuable resources to hone their skills and make friends with other students who share their passion. These groups often hold competitions, which help make the stakes of undergraduates’ studies more tangible. It’s not uncommon for students in these clubs to foster deep friendships and start their own businesses, as evidenced by the likes of Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, not to mention Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin.
Lead By Example
(And See It, And Touch It)
he Pitch
STEAM employers who want more women to join their workforce should provide professional development opportunities for junior employees who show potential in leadership and management abilities. And embracing holacracy -- a method of organization where all participants are viewed as equals -- would allow women to feel more comfortable in sharing their thoughts with senior management.
A Cause Worth Fighting For
(And See It, And Touch It)
he Pitch
Professional organizations like the Association for Women In Science promote the interests of females in STEAM jobs. Not only do these organizations highlight the accomplishments of women in STEAM fields, they also serve as important policy advocates to make sure that women receive the help and support they need to succeed. And the research they conduct helps model best practices and thought leadership for employers who want to attract female STEAM professionals.
The Sky’s The Limit
(And See It, And Touch It)
he Pitch
Companies that truly care about female STEAM professionals lead by example, such as by elevating women to top-level positions like CEO and CTO. The practice helps bridge the gender gap -- and is good business: Studies show that companies that include women on their board of directors enjoy a higher financial performance. By considering and hiring women for executive and board positions, employers will create real-life role models that will encourage girls and women to pursue a career in a STEAM field.
