Fortune – Roxanne Taylor
“Education. There are just not enough women graduating with the science, technology, engineering and math skills needed to become the next generation of leaders. Today, technology is disrupting virtually every industry in every country around the world. And as we look ahead, it’s clear that more and more jobs will require STEM skills, including computer science. By 2020, in the U.S. alone, there will be 1.2 million jobs requiring computer-related skills. This should offer amazing opportunities for people in computer science and with other relevant skills, regardless of gender. Yet the U.S. lacks graduates with technology skills, and this issue is even more profound when you look at women. Thirty years ago, about 37% of computer science degrees in the U.S. went to women. Today that number has dropped to 18%. Clearly, we are going in the wrong direction. In my view, failing to check this trend will keep us from increasing the number of female leaders. One way we can help tackle this issue is by focusing as early as possible in the education cycle. We need to get young women excited about math, science and technology, including computer science, long before they enter college. That’s why organizations like Girls Who Code and Code.Org are so important.”(more)