Prepare to hear a lot about STEM in coming years.
America’s demand for high-tech talent in science, technology, engineering and math fields has far outstripped domestic supply. It remains among the brightest employment sectors.
Many high schools now have STEM programs. Clark College has huddled with local districts to improve and align curriculum when it opens its proposed $30 million STEM classroom building in mid-decade.
But research shows a vexing problem: Despite ever-rising numbers of female high school students thriving in STEM programs who then pursue a college STEM track, a disappointing minority emerge from the training pipeline and stick with a related career.
To see the AAUW’s “Why So Few?” report: http://www.aauw.org/learn/research/whysofew.cfm
A recent study published by the American Association of University Women pins the blame on bias, whether intentional or not.
Either during college or at work, many women are dissuaded from entering certain STEM fields. And a prevailing strong male presence — innocuous, or not — also can foster dissatisfaction, researchers found.
Two Fort Vancouver students make a splash at high-tech event
Leaders of the SEMI High Tech University recognize the challenge. Fort Vancouver High School students who joined an all-female group invited last month said instructors and mentors were candid about career hurdles.
“It can be intimidating,” said Daysha Baker, a sophomore who excelled during the event. She and classmate Ibette Valle heard one high-tech worker assigned to an Asian project tell how men refused to take orders from a woman, for example.
“It was surprising. I don’t remember (high-tech) being so male-dominated,” Valle said.
