I heard first-hand from a brilliant group of women who shared their experiences – the good, the bad, and the aspirational – during a candid break-out session at the recentevent held in Texas. Most heartening was finding out that DEI surfaced as a leitmotif across the event’s leadership agenda.
Attracting women to a career in STEM industries like chemicals, needs to start early and speed up in high school through college.“Diversity, equity, and inclusion was at the top of our list of leadership topics to talk about,” said Carolyn Dolezal, chief operating officer at ASUG. “We are in a talent war to find the best people, and all the research shows that diverse teams produce greater innovation and financial results.
Pandemic-related or not, employee network groups are a well-known DEI tactic, and one woman talked about her company’s launch of a women-oriented organization. She said that every ENG needs passion, purpose, and process. This group hadn’t defined its shared purpose, which led to splintered efforts – some people wanted to focus on socializing, others preferred an activities-based approach, and another faction wanted a career orientation.
During the lively discussion, one person pointed out that young women typically don’t understand the full range of STEM career possibilities beyond coding. Parents, teachers, and guidance counselors have a large role in helping young girls and teenagers as they make career decisions. Networking also starts early. One woman said that female college graduates often have higher grade point averages, while males have completed internships that demonstrate their ability to work in a team.