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Getting Girls Plugged In
Seventh-graders told to explore career possibilities early, especially in technology
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Business New Haven
3/31/2003
By: Melissa Nicefaro
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You're never to young to decide what you want to be when you grow up.
That was the message offered to 120 seventh-grade Fairfield County girls on March 18. The girls were attending the second annual Girls & Technology Expo at Houstatonic Community College (HCC) in Bridgeport.
The purpose of the event was to expose girls to the traditionally male field of technology.
The students received a day-long exposure to the use of technology in fields such as law enforcement, science, health and medicine and manufacturing. The exposition is designed to introduce young women to technology and technology-based careers, as well as introduce them to computer skills they will need to pursue most careers.
The students were encouraged to use a "girls e-mentoring" (GEM) program run by the U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau. The program includes women in science, engineering and technology (SET) jobs who encourage girls to take classes in SET fields by showing them they're fun, exciting and challenging.
The GEM-SET program provides an avenue for girls to interact with women in SET through e-mail as a group. Through the GEM-SET listserv, girls can ask questions and receive answers. The national program links girls and women with diverse backgrounds countrywide.
For the hands-on portion of the expo, girls had workshops with topics including: deconstructing a computer, technology in health-related issues and careers, Web design, fingerprinting and gunshot residue and light source for evidence collection.
Explained one of the more influential former "girls" at the expo, HCC President Janis Hadley, "We have to get seventh-graders thinking about something other than MTV, going to the mall, or what color their hair is going to be for the day.
"It used to be that was what college was all about, but now we're seeing more opportunities to get girls' attention at a young age," Hadley added.
Christine Lorech, president and CEO of Alloy Engineering Co. in Bridgeport, told students, "Take the time and investigate the fields that are of interest to you. You have plenty of time; think it through."
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. employment is expected to rise from 140.5 million to 160.8 million between 1998 and 2008. Many of the new job opportunities are expected to be in computer and health-related occupations, social services, legal, natural science, teaching and financial areas.
During that same period, the female labor force is expected to increase by 15 percent, while jobs held by men will grow by about ten percent. As a result, according to the Labor Department, the female share of the labor force will grow from 46 to 48 percent - virtually half.
Exhibitors included Alloy Engineering, Bridgeport Hospital, the Bridgeport Library, the state's Department of Motor Vehicles, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Voices for Children, South West Area Health Education Center and Westover School.
Students attended workshops and addresses in the morning and spent the afternoon at the exhibition.
Students from Bridgeport, Monroe, Stratford, Fairfield and Stamford attended.
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