Girls are Getting 'Tech Savvy' about Manufacturing

In my last blog I introduced readers to Antigone Sharris, Coordinator of Engineering Technology/Mechatronics at Triton College, and her presentation for the Chicago AMBA about how to recruit and retain Millennials. Well, Antigone wasn’t finished when she concluded her presentation. She’s putting the word out that she’s searching for middle school girls who are curious about stereotype breaking career opportunities in manufacturing and related fields.

There are currently two events Antigone is working on for 2016. The first is called Tech Savvy and will be held on Saturday, April 16, 2016, at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois. Organized by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Tech Savvy is a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career conference designed to attract girls in sixth through ninth grade to these fields, as well as inform mentoring adults about STEM education and careers and how to support girls’ interest and success in STEM.

Registration for Tech Savvy 2016 opens in February, but you can view highlights from past events by visiting the AAUW Website or by viewing their Facebook page.

The second event is the two week long GADgET Summer Manufacturing Camp 2016. GADgET stands for Girls Adventuring in Design Engineering and Technology and will be hosted by Triton College in River Grove, Illinois, on Monday through Thursday during the weeks of July 18 and July 25, 2016.

GADgET is part of a national manufacturing summer camp program designed and sponsored by Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs (NBT), the foundation of the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship. NBT’s purpose is to inspire the next generation of manufacturers, inventors and entrepreneurs through its manufacturing camps and scholarships. The camps are held throughout the USA at various community and technical colleges or tech centers. It’s too early yet to register for GADgET, but more information about the camps overall can be found at nutsandboltsfoundation.org. Potential sponsors for the Chicago-based GADgET should contact Antigone Sharris for details.

Who knows? Maybe someday women will rival the number of men in manufacturing. With programs like these in place, anything is possible!

Need to inspire a young lady in your family or classroom about manufacturing? Check out our Moldmaking Matters: Your Career can Make a Difference video featuring young manufacturing professionals at NyproMold including a plastics engineer named Amber Zapatka.

If you know about any similar programs designed to educate middle school aged girls about STEM-related careers, please share the information and links. See you in 2016!