I like girl engineers. And doctors. And scientists. And computer geeks. But I don’t think it’s “society’s fault” if so few girls choose to study those things. At the risk of wading into a debate I generally think is stupid, ExxonMobile issued this press release today:
10:52 am on February 13, 2006How do you attract girls to engineering? Especially when many say “it’s boring,” “too difficult,” or “it’s just not for them.”
ExxonMobil is working to overcome this perception by showing middle school girls how exciting and important engineering careers can be by participating in the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day program. The annual program, a component of National Engineers Week (eweek.org), will have ExxonMobil employees conducting presentations on engineering at schools, leading site tours and hosting interactive demonstrations for students at ExxonMobil facilities across the country.
Currently, women are one of the largest under-represented groups in engineering as they make up only 10 percent of the entire profession. In addition, according to a recent study by the Extraordinary Women Engineers Project (EWEP), this percentage is not likely to improve in the near future. EWEP found that more than 90 percent of high school girls do not consider engineering as a viable career option. Further research showed the issue was not one of ability or academic preparation, but of perception.
“The Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day program reveals the importance, excitement and relevance of engineering to a new generation of young women, a generation we need to attract to the profession to help our industry meet the challenges of the future,” said Rex Tillerson, chairman and chief executive officer, Exxon Mobil Corporation. “Engineers are vital to meeting the challenges we face, and ExxonMobil is committed to expanding opportunities for women to enter and excel in the field of engineering.”
ExxonMobil began participating in the program three years ago as a result of a grassroots initiative led by ExxonMobil engineers. The event has evolved into a nationwide company endeavor with more than 200 employee volunteers reaching out to approximately 2,500 students in 12 different locations. As a company that employs more than 12,000 engineers worldwide, ExxonMobil is committed to helping prepare a new generation of science-savvy citizens by supporting educational programs such as Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day that strive to spark interest and excitement in science and mathematics among students.
