ABSTRACT
The widening disconnect between the skill sets of many high school and college graduates and STEM job growth in the United States reveals the implications of not effectively tapping into the potential. Programs that target young people and illustrate how the STEM disciplines change the world can build interest. Angela Hessler conducts Take Your Daughters to Work Days at Chevron to expose young girls to career choices in the sciences. The need for mentoring and role models continues throughout a woman’s career. Mid-career mentoring/advice and information on advancement or even on pursuing new opportunities with the skills and knowledge learned is nonexistent. A more fundamental way to address societal bias is to embrace and accommodate gender differences while recognizing that women are just as smart and capable as men, thus creating a better work environment for everyone. Large-scale national efforts have moved women forward in the country.
