Wilkes Community College held its first High-Tech Girl’s Day on March 22 as part of a recruitment campaign to attract females into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, particularly information technology (IT).
Attendees participated in hands-on networking and coding activities related to MerleFest preparation and setup. This included Wifi and fiber-optic cabling stage setup and programming a mock Merlefest artist webpage using Javascript. Sessions were led by college personnel and industry representatives.
Kristen Macemore, dean of business and public service technologies said, “The number of females enrolled in our information technology program has been dwindling over the last decade. Common misconceptions about the field can deter females from pursuing a career in IT, but their contribution is valuable. We want to inspire females to find their place in IT and raise awareness of educational pathways that can get them there.”
According to the N.C. Tech Association, there are over 48,000 IT jobs available in North Carolina.
Computer Specialists with a two-year associate applied science degree are averaging $62,000 in wages per year in the Boone/Wilkesboro area (Source: www.nccareers.org).
Melonie Kilby, WCC business and technologies chair, stated, “Our WCC High Tech Girls Day presented an opportunity for females to see that they are completely capable of success in an information technology field. The look of empowerment on their faces, after a short hands-on demonstration in software development and networking, proves that they are ready to step out and conquer big things.”
Several WCC employees recently participated in professional development through the National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science (IWITTS), which is focused on ensuring working women are part of the science and technology landscape. IWITTS works to bridge the gender gap in technology for females.
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