Need STEM Talent? Your Business has a Moral Responsibility to Empower Young Women in STEM

Women comprise nearly 50% of the labor market but hold only about 29% of STEM positions globally . Why is this gap still so prevalent today?

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If you’re a STEM business leader, director or manager, this discrepancy should worry you. In all its forms, increasing diversity has the potential to optimize workplace innovation. The more points of view, experiences and skillsets at a company’s disposal, the more creative and impactful its people can be. And companies need STEM-savvy people – society relies on technology like never before, but there are too few qualified professionals out there to build upon momentum, uncover opportunities and help solve some of society’s greatest challenges. The factors affecting young women’s interest and confidence in STEM are major barriers that can be mitigated with strategic solutions from future employers.

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I recently caught up with Karen Horting, Executive Director and CEO of the Society of Women Engineers, the world’s largest advocate for women in engineering. Inspired by Women’s History Month, we had a productive discussion around the barriers so many young women face in breaking into STEM and why the business community is uniquely positioned to help.

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This conversation has been edited for clarity.

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Chris: The importance of women in STEM is of course not a new concept, but many people don’t realize how early that a girls’ confidence begins to wane in these areas. There’s a short window when it comes to capturing and nurturing their interest and empowerment in these fields. By the time they turn 15, 6% of American girls are interested in science and engineering professions, compared to 17.4% of their male counterparts. By the time students hit the last few years of high school or transition to college, it’s very unlikely they will ?suddenly develop an interest in STEM.

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Karen: Absolutely. Disparities between men and women in STEM have nothing to do with abilities or confidence: they’re rooted in social conditioning and inequitable opportunities. We see very strong encouragement for girls from their parents, teachers and female peers, but sometimes greater intention is needed to make young male classmates better allies, especially at ages when cliques start to form. This presents an interesting but important opportunity for the business community. It is essential that business leaders encourage their employees to volunteer and mentor youth – yes, women, those of diverse backgrounds and more – but also men, because if male students who hold those views see adult versions of themselves encouraging female participation, they will be more willing to model that behavior.

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Chris: On the subject of allies and role models, let’s talk about mentorship. I’m actually proof positive of what happens when kids lack adult supporters. My middle school teacher once told me I wasn’t cut out for STEM, and guess what – I pursued other career options. While I’m thrilled to be working to help today’s youth gain access to the STEM opportunities that I didn’t have, I do wish that I’d had the benefit of a supportive adult who could have helped me chart my path as a marine biologist or astronaut. I’ve led several youth-serving organizations throughout my career and have seen firsthand, whether in athletics or robotics, how adult mentors – or even older peer student mentors – can inspire students, help them uncover connections and give them the confidence they need to persevere when the going gets tough.

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Karen: Sadly, you aren’t the only one who has been deterred from pursuing a career in STEM. STEM is for everyone…having a wealth of perspectives and experiences is critical to uncovering problems that STEM can solve, and ensuring those solutions are equitable and inclusive. Part of the puzzle is to help young women envision the breadth of the problems they can solve or the experiences they can have. By providing access to mentors who work in those “dream” careers, businesses can help students develop the confidence they need to go out and find new problems to solve.

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Chris: It’s so important that companies help students understand the myriad ways they can apply STEM in a future career. This is where it’s critical that companies take a proactive approach and go out into their communities to meet young people where they are – and at an age when they are most open to considering STEM as an option.

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Karen: Exactly. First, organizations should consider how they communicate externally, including the images they project or portray. In other words, are they representing diverse employees and ensuring those messages get to the young people who are likely to be the most impacted? And second, they need to show how technology supports what they do and its benefit for the world. Kids need help envisioning STEM careers. Research shows that girls are more inclined to hold humanistic values, focusing on people rather than things, and may need help seeing the impact engineers can have on society. I don’t know of a field other than engineering where just about everything is positive, whether it’s automotive safety features, biomedical advances, the provision of clean and safe natural resources, etc. Businesses need to show how STEM can be more than sitting at a computer all day – much of it involves fieldwork and interacting with the very people you aim to help.

Chris: And in places where this message isn’t getting out as well, companies can both reach students and play an active role in their education by helping teachers or supporting organizations that offer robust after-school programs that reach young female students. For example, Rockwell Automation Inc. provides grants to support local educators and their STEM classrooms and lends mentors to help guide area extracurricular robotics teams. Getting employees into schools to interface with students directly is key to enforcing the message that STEM is for everyone.

Karen: Precisely. Companies should also consider using their voices in Washington and in their communities to advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in STEM in the context of job creation, economic development, job placement from local universities and more. The economic and quality of life benefits of a STEM career are only positive. Companies can’t be afraid of talking about the importance of a diverse STEM workforce and how it must start early, and it’s critical they make the right investment today to affect tomorrow’s outcomes. No matter students’ gender identity, background or education level, there is always a place for them in STEM.