Young women can bridge the gender gap in STEM careers

Are you the young woman who aces her math classes? Lives for bio lab? Loves to tinker with computers? When you’re choosing a career, keep these things in mind. There are many high-wage and high-demand career opportunities open to women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers that have, until a recent push, been overlooked by young women making career selections.

In high school, female students’ participation and achievement in math and science are equal to their male peers. But even though more women than men earn college degrees, they receive fewer degrees in STEM fields than men. Women only make up 29 percent of the science and engineering workforce.

By the numbers:

• 35.2% of chemists are women;
• 11.1% of physicists and astronomers are women;
• 33.8% of environmental engineers are women;
• 22.7% of chemical engineers are women;
• 17.5% of civil, architectural, and sanitary engineers are women;
• 17.1% of industrial engineers are women;
• 10.7% of electrical or computer hardware engineers are women; and
• 7.9% of mechanical engineers are women. (https://ngcproject.org/statistics)

Not all STEM fields are dominated by men. A majority of jobs in nursing, laboratory technology and accounting are filled by women.

If you’re interested in learning more about a career in a STEM field, there are some things you can do to educate yourself before choosing a major in college.

Find a mentor in a field that interests you

Mentors can really help you learn what it is really like to work in a career field. Many successful women credit mentorship with helping them meet their career goals. Mentors not only provide education, but also support, confidence and networking opportunities. Just find a woman in a career field that interests you, and contact her office to see if she’s open to meeting with you.

Find an event near you that showcases STEM careers

Colleges and local organizations offer opportunities for STEM career exploration. These events are a great way to check out some career options that may not have occurred to you, talk to people in those professions and maybe do some hands-on activities.

There are many options for high-paying, fulfilling careers in STEM fields – it’s totally worth a look!