Communications of the ACM
How Women Can Advance in Science and Technology
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Women are still facing obstacles to career advancement within science and technology fields. According to experts dealing with these issues on an everyday basis, there are a handful of effective solutions for overcoming these hurdles in the professional world. For example, creating a stronger, more appealing "brand" for science and technology could attract more candidates. In addition, there needs to be greater emphasis on female-friendly education, more emphasis on diverse hiring practices, and changes to the underlying culture of organizations.
Task force participants at The Wall Street Journal's Women in the Economy Conference emphasize how important it is to re-brand the science and technology fields to attract more women. One top recommendation is to glamorize technology, make it a cool field for women to want to go into. Another suggestion is to have more female role models in media and in the news to captivate women's attention to the fields. It is also vital to offer compulsory classes in science and technology in academic institutions. These classes are a great way to catch and retain women's interest in science and technology. Academic institutions should also create a greater supply of internships for women in these fields.
Technology employers must find ways to recruit and retain women in their workplace. There needs to be a long-term strategy for women wanting to stay and continue working at their companies. It should be the employer's responsibility to oversee women's advancement in science and technology. Finally, there needs to be an emphasis on diverse hiring. Every candidate pool and interview panel should include women. This would entail more women being hired and being successful in science and technology.
From MentorNet
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