Today is Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day! Girl Day is a time when volunteers, educators, and others act as role models, facilitate engineering activities, and show girls how engineers change our world!

Engineers and other technical professionals play a crucial role in reaching more girls with this important message. This advocacy is especially important as women are still significantly underrepresented in both STEM degree programs and engineering professions.

According to the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), while interest in majoring in engineering and computer science has increased, women are still much less likely to pursue these majors in college. And if they do enter college with an intent to study STEM, nearly a third of women will ultimately switch out of STEM degree programs before graduation.

In Despite the Odds: Young Women Who Persist in Engineering, DiscoverE reviewed multiple studies to identify common factors that motivate young women to both pursue and persist in engineering education and careers. Their research pointed to the following key factors in encouraging young women to choose and/or persist in engineering:

Having an interest in and a positive attitude about engineering. Girls who “hold favorable views of engineers and see the field in a positive light” are more likely to choose engineering as a profession. Developing an early interest in STEM through formal and informal STEM education and experiences directly encourages persistence in the field.

Valuing the field of engineering. DiscoverE concludes that “young women who choose or persist in engineering believe that engineers work to solve important problems and that becoming an engineer can enable them to contribute to society and help people.”

Demonstrating engineering-related self-efficacy. Multiple studies reviewed suggested that “young women who choose or persist in engineering believe, with confidence, that they have the skills and knowledge to do the work of engineers.” Building girls’ confidence in their problem-solving skills helps them see themselves as future engineers.

Embracing a STEM identity. DiscoverE notes how important it is for girls to “embrace the idea that they are or will someday be engineers or other STEM professionals” and to be able to think that an engineer is “who I am.”

Having a strong support network. Support networks are crucial to women both choosing and persisting in engineering. DiscoverE emphasizes the importance of having the support of friends, family, peers, and/or role models throughout the journey.

Drawing upon social and cultural capital. Though more research is needed, emerging evidence suggests that “having the ability to draw strength from personal or cultural experiences of struggle to overcome obstacles” can encourage young women to persist in engineering.

Feeling a sense of belonging. Especially in the workplace, “feeling as if they have found a place where they belong in the community of engineers/engineer students” encourages young women to persist in engineering.

On Girl Day and every day, we encourage engineers and other technical professionals to consider the many ways that they can help girls develop an interest in engineering, build their confidence in their problem-solving skills, create a STEM identity, and find support and mentorship along the way.