SOUTHFIELD – Kids today have grown up on computers: With ease they navigate the Internet, design PowerPoint presentations for class, and play realistic video games. Hours spent on Instant Messenger mean those small fingers pound the keyboard faster than their parents.
So, it seems odd so many girls are shying away from pursuing technology careers. The latest statistics from the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA reveal computer science as a major among incoming freshman at all undergraduate institutions plummeted in the past four years. Between 1998 and 2004, women?s interest fell 80 percent.
With women?s enrollment at such an extreme low, it?s apparent technology isn?t appealing as a career choice?at the same time the United States needs more tech workers. To increase our nation?s competitiveness, we must attract more women to maintain our position as a global technology leader.
Technology suffers from a bad image. Call it the ?Dilbert effect?, but people translate this comic strip satirizing the IT workplace to the real world. Dilbert represents the stereotypical engineer whose personality traits include lack of style, nonexistent social skills and esoteric knowledge. Or consider the movie ?Office Space? where the main characters are software engineers for a Y2K upgrade company. Showcasing the mundane nature of processes, procedures and jargon, it sets the tone for dreading every minute of office life.
What would happen if female students met, instead, passionate, high-energy professionals enthusiastic about their daily work responsibilities? Introduce them to dynamic visionaries who believe technology is the future that will entertain, simplify, streamline and expedite. Even weaving a college student?s experiences into discussions can reveal a fresh perspective of what to expect. Southeast Michigan?s emergence as a technology hub also brings forth colorful, trendy offices that replace the bland cubicle farms of yesterday.
We must challenge girls to attend computer camps, face their fears and embrace curiosity. Then, they will develop the exploration and problem solving skills necessary for technical career success. Encourage them to take programming, woodworking and CAD classes. When they learn pre-calculus and physics aren?t required senior year, convince them to sign up anyway.
Talking freely about IT benefits, salary and career path information also can be an influential tactic. Flex-time, telecommuting and travel are just a few perks characteristic of the field, and career fairs offer the perfect venue to meet and ask female IT professionals about the industry and its possibilities.
The Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation organizes an annual technology camp at Lawrence Technological University where 4th-7th grade girls design web pages, take apart computers, build and program robots, and learn about digital photography. Kids enjoy the interactive sessions so much that by the end of the camp, they ask to stay another week. By demonstrating the exciting nature of technology, we will encourage more girls to consider and view the sciences as fulfilling career options.
Rosemary Bayer is president of Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation, a nonprofit organization that dedicates itself to inspiring and assisting women to pursue technology careers. Bayer also serves as business development executive for Sun Microsystems, Inc. in Southfield.
