10%

‘WOMEN IN TECH’ ENCOURAGES STEM OPPORTUNITIES

By CCBC Stories

August 7^th, 2022

Careers within science, technology, engineering and math often have great appeal due to projected job growth, as well as salaries typically well above the national average. Yet women — who constitute nearly half of the U.S. labor force — continue to be under-represented in this male-dominated field. CCBC’s Women in Tech program is working to change that.

Computer Science Information Technology Chairwoman Wendy Chin and Network Technology Professor Vinitha Nithianandam have witnessed this gender disparity throughout their careers — a trend also reflected in their CCBC classrooms. Interested in seeing more women pursue their chosen careers, they’re committed to doing their part to change the trajectory.

“Approximately 20% of my students are female,” said Nithianandam. “We have to figure out a way to attract more women into this field as well as keep the interest of the ones we have.”

CCBC’s Women in Tech program brings together female students who have a shared love for STEM to participate in free workshops and lectures, attend social events and network with successful women in related professions.

When COVID-19 limited the ability to host in-person events, they continued to connect virtually. Opportunities for hybrid events became more common as coronavirus restrictions eased and they carried on their work of connecting female students with graduates and professional women working in the field.

‘WOMEN IN TECH’ ENCOURAGES STEM OPPORTUNITIES

CCBC Cybersecurity student Marparit Kaur is among the 20% of female students Professor Nithianandam sees in her classes. While Kaur did notice that many of her classmates were male, she did not let that stop her from pursing her passion.

“There were times when I had self-doubt,” said Kaur, “like when I participated in Cybersecurity competitions and most of my teammates were male.” “But, when I saw that a woman - Professor Vini - was leading the team, my confidence grew and I knew I could do it.”

For Kaur, STEM fields were familiar because both her parents held computer science degrees. She gained encouragement from her parents, especially her mother, who was always supportive.

“My mom really pushed me to pursue a computer-related career because I enjoyed coding and other computer classes in high school,” said Kaur. “Although she knew the field was challenging, she never said it was too difficult for me.”

In addition to CCBC students, Chin and Nithianandam engaged female students prior to them entering college by hosting summer camps specifically intended for girls interested in STEM. While those camps were held pre-pandemic, it’s hoped that one day they’ll make a comeback.

“We wanted to show female students that STEM can be fun as well as a viable career path,” said Chin. “It’s important for them to see that they can be successful in these fields and also make a good living.”

Both women agree that it’s imperative to get more women into the STEM pipeline. A diverse workforce is not only important, but essential to preventing bias.

“Women bring a different mindset into how to approach a job,” said Nithianandam. “It’s important that our voices be included in the products and services that STEM fields produce.”

And for Kaur, she hopes to inspire other young women, like her younger sister who is currently enrolled at CCBC, to choose a STEM career. To her, career success is more about ability and preparation than gender.

“I have seen so many women in my life be successful at STEM careers. I believe if you train equally, you will do equally well in whatever career you choose.” —Marparit Kaur