An It Degree Offers Exceptional Opportunities For Women

At the start of the new millennium, the Bureau of Labor Statistics did a study

, based on U.S. Census data, to track the growth of women and minorities in the country's work force. Back in 1950, the Bureau discerned that only 8% of those working in the sciences were women. By 2000, the Bureau reports it was up to 26%. We will probably have to wait for this upcoming census for more current details. Still, no one is denying the outcome is under-representative of the U.S. population as a whole (with women average 47% of the U.S. work force in general). An online IT degree allows many women wishing to enter the STEM field to work and learn or care for their family and learn.

While it's moving in the right direction and the number of women in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields has improved dramatically, no one else is taking this issue lightly. This is creating a tremendous opportunity for women who do want to enter these arenas. Learning of the opportunities must be factored in. If you are interested in getting more information about grants for college the Internet is a great source.

For starters, the federal government has introduced five recent pieces of legislature to combat the disparity. The first is House Resolution 6104, introduced by then Senator Barack Obama and House Representative Michael Honda. Its purpose is to introduce new awareness programs with high school counselors, featuring mentoring and professional outreach programs. Then there's House Resolution 2272, which introduced 200 new master degree level grants for deserving post-grads.

House Resolution 3634 not only provided more scholarships and grants for women, but loan forgiveness for those in the engineering field. Then came House Resolution 4137 involving a media campaign, primarily to stimulate minorities and women to enter STEM occupations. The latest, House Resolution 362, authorized $1.5 billion funding for more educators and counselors in the STEM professions.

Schools not succeeding in engaging the interest of girls in the subjects of science and math has been considered an important factor. This may explain why the percentage of the 2 million scientists and engineers who are women is only ten percent. Individual states are making the move to encourage involvement of minorities and women in STEM fields, with Iowa, Hawaii and Florida the most recent ones to join in.

Also worth considering are the professional organizations created by and for women. The American Association of University Women created the Selected Professions Fellowship. It supplies scholarships/fellowships ranging from $5,000 to $18,000 to women who intend to pursue full-time courses at accredited U.S. institutions of higher learning. The one proviso is the field must be in one of the pre-determined programs where the number of women has been low. These include architecture, computer/information science, engineering and math. For an abundance of information about degree in science check out the web.

Another professional organization that's putting its money where its mouth is the Society of Women Engineers. Their SWE Scholarship program provides financial assistance to women admitted to accredited baccalaureate or graduate programs, in preparation for careers in engineering, engineering technology and computer science. In fiscal year 2009, SWE disbursed more than 180 new and renewed scholarships valued at $470,000.

by: Michelle Conner.

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