Many colleges and universities hold camps, workshops, and seminars to interest young girls in computer science, engineering, and other STEM disciplines in an effort to reduce the gender career gap in these fields. The University of Virginia’s facilities management department recently held a “Girls’ Day” in an attempt to garner interest among young women ages 11 to 18 in the construction and building trades, a field were women are vastly underrepresented.
The facilities management department, which has 1,200 employees, hosted 40 young women who toured campus facilities, saw designs and mock-ups of new buildings, were able to use 3-D printer systems.
The young women heard from the women leaders in the facilities management department and were also addressed by Teresa Sullivan, president of the University of Virginia. Cheryl Gomez, director of operations, stated that “this is a way to encourage girls to consider the trades and show them how fun and interesting they are.”