I just read about the Global Marathon that supports women in engineering by focusing on the impact that mothers have on their kids when it comes to career advice. For 24 hours, the Engineers Week website will be hosting chats, webcasts, and other information to provide information geared towards students and adults who have influence in students’ lives. Here’s the top part of the Engineering Week announcement:
for Career Advice
High school students turn to their mothers for career advice far more often than any other source, according to a recent study conducted by the Extraordinary Women Engineers Project.
When asked “How much have you spoken to the following people about careers?†more than 2/3 of high school girls (69 percent) and boys (67 percent) indicated they had “spoken a lot†to their mothers, more than any other source including teachers, guidance counselors, or adults in that career field. Fathers were cited by 62 percent of the girls, but by only 32 percent of the boys.
But, when it comes to career advice about engineering, parents are not likely role models unless they work in science or engineering, and many educators do not feel prepared to help their students explore the engineering profession, according to the study.
A unique, web-based educational event – “The Global Marathon For, By and About Women in Engineering,†can help bridge that gap. From Noon EDT March 22 to Noon EDT March 23, a marathon of webcasts, Internet chats and teleconferences at the Engineers Week website – www.eweek.org – will provide insights and information on engineering careers to students, parents, teachers and counselors from professional women engineers worldwide.
This is a great thing, especially in this country, where we don’t focus on math as much as we should. Also, it’s cool to see such a tight focus on mothers and the oft-overlooked role as career guidance counselor. Read the rest of the page here.
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Previous Moments in Parenting In The Media:
9 responses so far ↓
Serena // Mar 21, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Thanks for the great link! As a female scientist (and mom!) and active member of the Association for Women in Science (http://www.awis.org) this issue is close to my heart (and mind).
Annie // Mar 21, 2007 at 4:27 pm
This is awesome, Stu! Thanks for the link!
Christina’s only 14 months old, but I will definitely encourage her to follow the path she wants. She’s curious and you can see the wheels turning in her head when she’s looking at something new…;)
(Her dad’s an engineer, and he said that he wouldn’t mind another engineer in the house. LOL)
JudesMommy // Mar 21, 2007 at 5:19 pm
I think this is a momentous thing for them to be hosting and I can’t wait to tune in tomorrow for some of the webcasts.
Sir Jorge // Mar 21, 2007 at 6:09 pm
I just graduated college and I turned to my mom for advice.
She said and I quote, “I didn’t like art school for you and now you’d better get a good job with your pesky degree.”
So that went bust fast.
Stu Mark // Mar 21, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Serena,
Thanks for reading! We’ve a few female engineers in our family, but I didn’t know about AWIS. Thanks for the link.
Stu Mark // Mar 21, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Annie,
You’re welcome. As I have a daughter, I pay attention to the world-view of women today. I am so glad to see that this latest generation of girls are unencumbered by thoughts of inadequacies or even a concept of a “man’s world.” Sexism will one day be merely a history lesson.
Stu Mark // Mar 21, 2007 at 11:34 pm
Jude’s Mommy,
Yeah, I’m definitely gonna check it out, with my daughter, if she is willing.
Stu Mark // Mar 21, 2007 at 11:36 pm
Sir Jorge,
Well, that’s not bad advice from your mom, although she could have added a spoonful of sugar with it, to make the medicine go down.
The question naturally arises: Did you get a good job with your pesky degree?
JudesMommy // Mar 22, 2007 at 7:45 pm
I’m listening in right now to as many of the sessions as I can attend.
So far I’m really impressed.
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