CSI Career & Counseling Services

Girls in Technology
Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Helping to Prepare Girls for Careers in Technology

The Center for New Directions sponsors the annual Girls in Technology Conference, introducing junior and senior high school girls to opportunities in science/technology careers. The next Conference will be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2009—be there!

Too many girls get the message that math and science aren’t for them. Research shows that parents, teachers, and other adults typically expect girls not to perform as well as boys in science, math, and technology, regardless of their true potential. The Girls in Technology Conference is an effort to provide an event for girls in Magic Valley Schools in Grades 8-11 to introduce them to career possibilities that include math, science, and technology. 

By providing female role models who are engineers, chemists, mathematicians, pilots, web designers, computer technicians, veterinarians, and more, students see that women can be successful in careers where they have the potential to earn a good income and apply their interests and abilities in occupations that are often male dominated.

Good News for Women in Technology.  Women and Men in technology earn the same amount of money in their first five years of work.  (Survey of 100,000 employees in technology.)  Professionals in technical hands-on jobs experience the smallest salary gap.  Overall, women in tech jobs earn 92 cents for every dollar a man earns.

Economics
Women’s weekly earnings are just 75.4% of men’s earnings. About 33% of all businesses are owned by women and they employ nearly 20 million people and generate $2.3 trillion in sales.

Math/Science and Technology

  • In the early grades, girls consistently match or surpass boys’ achievement in science and math. 
  • 34% of high school aged girls report being advised by a faculty member not to take senior math.
  • 16% fewer girls than boys report ever talking to their parents about science and technology issues.

Reasons for Attending

If you are a girl interested in…

  • Math & science, but do not know what careers they lead to.
  • Careers that have high potential for employment in the next decade.
  • Creative and original ideas that will benefit people
  • High potential earnings.