Conference encourages girls to pursue STEM careers

Typically, fields in science and technology aren’t where girls are looking to pursue a career. A conference today at Idaho State University aimed to change that way of thinking and show how successful women can be.

The 15th annual Women and Work Conference gave hundred of high school girls a sneak peek into STEM-related careers. For some students it was a day of fun, for others it was an eye-opening experience.

“I’m always just into the arts, but today actually kind of made me think about (STEM careers) more,” said Cacie Waite, a Marsh Valley High School student.

The conference hosted a number of hands-on workshops in a variety of fields. Fields with workshops include robotics, information technology and auto collision technology. The city’s police and fire departments also hosted workshops.

There was even a fashion show of sorts, showcasing women working in STEM fields in their work clothing.

Those who have organized the conference for a number of years, like Chris Guthrie from Partners for Prosperity, notice the impact it has on attendees.

“You see young women who attend this and then you see them a couple years later and they say, ‘Oh, I want to go into forensics because the keynote speaker was a woman who talked about forensics,'” said Guthrie.

Keynote Speaker and Pocatello native Billie Johnson is a physical design engineer with ON Semiconductor. In her remarks, she encouraged the girls to network with professionals at the conference so they can get a concept of these jobs– something she didn’t understand when she was in high school.

“Less than 20 percent of the workforce, in engineering professions specifically, are women,” said Johnson. “I think that’s because girls don’t even know about the possibilities that exist for them.”

The conference was sponsored by the Center for New Directions in ISU’s College of Technology. Prizes were raffled off at the end of the day, including a $500 scholarship to ISU’s College of Technology.