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Breaking Barriers & More

Jennifer JirousSTEM & Arts Program DirectorColorado Community College System

Workplace Balance PollWhere are you?Gender diversity is associated with increased sales revenue, more customers, and greater relative profits. Racial diversity is associated with increased sales revenue, more customers, greater market share, and greater relative profits.

Source: Cedric Hg Does Diversity Pay?: Race, Gender, and the Business Case for Diversity American Sociological Review April 2009

With that being saidlet me pull you back to reality and why it is so important that you are all here today.

Source: Cedric Hg Does Diversity Pay?: Race, Gender, and the Business Case for Diversity American Sociological Review April 2009 74: 208-224, doi:10.1177/000312240907400203

According to this report7Inventions by WomenKevlar (1964 ) Stephanie Kwolek Nystatin (1950) Rachel Fuller Brown and Elizabeth Lee Hazen Windshield wiper (1903) Mary AndersonDishwasher (1886) Josephine CochraneSquare bottom paper bag (1871) Margaret KnightColored flare system (1857) Martha CostonCompiler and COBOL Language (1950s) Grace HopperLiquid paper (1958) Bessie NesmithChocolate Chip Cookie (1930) Ruth Graves WakefieldCircular saw (1812) Tabitha Babbit

Just for funIm going to focus on women for a minuteimagine our world without these inventions by women.

Found on how it works websitewith stories8Patents by WomenFirst patent by Mary Dixon Klies for process that weaved straw with silk and thread in 180920 women earned patents by 184022,984 patents were granted to women in 201018 percent of all patents granted in 2010Up from14 percent in 2000 And 9 percent in 1990Report published by NCWITWho Invents IT? Womens Participation in Information Technology Patenting, 2012 Update

9Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation

U.S Department of CommerceEconomics and Statistics Administration Issue BriefAugust 2011Our science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce is crucial to Americas innovative capacity and global competitiveness. Yet women are vastly underrepresented in STEM jobs and among STEM degree holders despite making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce and half of the college-educated workforce. That leaves an untapped opportunity to expand STEM employment in the United States, even as there is wide agreement that the nation must do more to improve its competitiveness.

Since the gateway to many high-paying STEM jobs is a STEM degree, 10What is a STEM job?Professional and technical support occupations in the fields of computer science and mathematics, engineering, and life and physical sciencesSource: U.S. Department of Commerce: Economics and Statistics Administration, ESA Issue Brief #04-11, August 2011.ur science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce is crucial to Americas innovative capacity and global competitiveness. Yet women are vastly underrepresented in STEM jobs and among STEM degree holders despite making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce and half of the college-educated workforce. That leaves an untapped opportunity to expand STEM employment in the United States, even as there is wide agreement that the nation must do more to improve its competitiveness. 11National Statistics (2009)7.4 million workers in STEM jobs or 5.3% of the population91% of STEM jobs will require post-secondary education (2018)Occupational area47% Computer and mathematical science 32% Engineering and surveying12% Physical sciences8% STEM management jobsSource: U.S. Department of Commerce: Economics and Statistics Administration, ESA Issue Brief #04-11, August 2011.Projections by STEM Industry 201871% Computing16% Traditional Engineering7% Physical Sciences4% Life Sciences2% MathematicsProjections in Computing27% Software Engineering21% Computer Networking10%Systems Analysis7% Computer Support2% Database Administration1% CS/IS Research

Colorado Statistics (2011)232,000 STEM-related jobs by 2018$74,958 Average salary (2005-2008)Occupational area115,000 Computer/Mathematical Science58,000 Engineers and technicians30,000 Life and physical sciences17,000 Architects and technicians12,000 Social SciencesSource: Colorados K-12 STEM Ed Report Card 2011, STEMConnector, 222.stemconnector.org15Women in STEM jobsWomen comprise 48% of workforce but only 24% of STEM workersEarn 33% more than women in non-STEM jobs making the wage gap smaller in STEM jobs than in non-STEM jobsThose with STEM degree less likely than males to work in STEM occupation; more likely to work in education or healthcare

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce: Economics and Statistics Administration, ESA Issue Brief #04-11, August 2011.When we consider ethnicity the percentages are even lower and the wage gaps are larger16Women Are Often Paid Less than Men in the Same Job Are Paid

The story is similar with respect to employment.

College major is related to the jobs that men and women end up in right after college, but the relationship is not strict. Forexample, male engineering majors are more likely than their female counterparts to work as engineers after graduation.

As this chart shows, the jobs that primarily employ men tend to pay more than the jobs that primarily employ women.

The yellow line shows the percentage of women in each occupation. As you can see, as the earnings get larger, the percentage of women gets smaller (with the clear exception of nursing on the far left, which has relatively high earnings as well as a high percentage of women). For the most part, womens jobs tend to have lower earnings.

This chart shows that earnings are similar for men and women in some occupations, like business support/administrative assistance.

It also shows that women are often paid less when they work in the same jobs as men just one year out of college.

Among teachers, for example, women are paid 89 percent of what men are paid. In business and management occupations, women are paid 86 percent of what men are paid.

The two occupational categories with the largest pay gaps were sales occupations, where women were paid just 77 percent of what their male peers were paid, and other occupations, a category that includes mainly blue-collar jobs, such as food service, farming, and construction occupations, where women were paid just 68 percent of what men were paid.

In no occupational category did women earn significantly more than men.

17Men and women tend to choose different majors in college and to work in different occupations after college.

Women tend to work fewer hours, even when they work full time.

Women are more likely to leave the workforce or to work part time when they have young children.

Choices can account for some of the differences in salaries, but they arent the whole story.

What about Choices?Sometimes, men and women makes choices that affect their salaries, and in turn, this affects the pay gap.

Men and women still tend to choose different majors in college and to work in different occupations after college.

Women also tend to work fewer hours, even when they work full time (full-time work is defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as 35 hours a week or more).

Women are more likely to leave the workforce or work part time when they have young children.

Choices account for some of the differences in salaries, but they arent the whole story.

The 2012 AAUW report Graduating to a Pay Gap examines this question. After accounting for the issues raised above as well as others, our study found that there was a 7% difference in the earnings of men and women one year after college graduation that was still unexplained. 18Despite the positive trends in high school, the transition from high school to college is a critical time for young women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).19Bachelor's Degrees Conferred, by Gender,197172 to 200607

Source: Snyder, T.D., Dillow, S.A., and Hoffman, C.M. (2009). Digest of Education Statistics 2008 (NCES 2009-020). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.Women have earned the majority of bachelors degrees since 1982.20Women and Men Tend to Major in Different Fields

Gender differences in education account for part of the pay gap.

A college degree improves earnings considerably. According to one estimate, on average, individuals with bachelors degrees earn $1 million more than individuals who have only high school degrees over the course of a lifetime (Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., & Strohl, J. [2010]. Help wanted: Projections of jobs and education requirements through 2018. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce).

But not all college degrees are equally financially beneficial.

Graduating to a Pay Gap shows that for the most part, women and men graduate from similar types of colleges and universities, and women earn slightly higher grades than men do in college.

But despite the dramatic increase in womens educational achievements in recent decades, there remain deep-rooted gender differences in fields of study.

As you can see in this chart, among 200708 college graduates, women made up the large majority in health care fields (88 percent) and education (81 percent). At the same time, women made up a distinct minority in engineering and engineering technology (18 percent) and computer and information sciences (19 percent). Other majors, like business, are more gender balanced, but most major categories tilt either male or female.

Because field of study is viewed as a free choice, many people dont consider the segregation of men and women into different college majors to be an issue of equality of opportunity. Yet, subtle and overt pressures can drive women and men away from college majors that are nontraditional for their gender. The segregation of men and women into different college majors is a long-standing phenomenon that persists today.

21Womens representation among STEM bachelors degree holdershas improved over time but varies by field.

Source: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, 2008, Science and engineering degrees: 19662006 (Detailed Statistical Tables) (NSF 08-321) (Arlington, VA), Table 11, Author's analysis of Tables 34, 35, 38, & 39.Bachelors Degrees Earned by Women in Selected Fields, 196620062240 percent of undergraduates attend community college.

Community colleges are a critical if sometimes underappreciated part of our higher education system. This chart shows the total U.S. undergraduate enrollment by institutional type in fall 2010.

As you can see, 40 percent of undergraduate students attend community colleges.

Do not read. Sources listed for reference.

Source: AAUW analysis of U.S. Department of Education, 2010. Integrated postsecondary education data system (IPEDS) fall enrollment survey. National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: Author.

Note: These data include institutions that grant associate or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. 23More than 4 million women attend community college.

This chart shows the total U.S. undergraduate enrollment, by gender and institutional type in fall 2010.

As in other sectors of higher education, women make up the majority of students. Of the 7.3 million community college students in 2010, a little more than 4 million were women. Thats about 57 percent of the students enrolled in community colleges.

Do not read. Sources listed for reference.

Source: AAUW analysis of U.S. Department of Education, 2010. Integrated postsecondary education data system (IPEDS) fall enrollment survey. National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: Author.

Note: These data include institutions that grant associate or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs.

24Community college students are racially diverse.

The community college student population is also racially diverse. This chart shows the U.S. undergraduate enrollment, by race and ethnicity and institutional type in fall 2010.

Overall, students of color make up a larger share of the student body at community colleges compared with four-year public and four-year private, not-for-profit institutions.

Hispanic and Latino students attend community colleges in especially large numbers and make up 17 percent of the student body.

Do not read. Sources listed for reference.

Source: AAUW analysis of U.S. Department of Education, 2010. Integrated postsecondary education data system (IPEDS) fall enrollment survey. National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: Author.

Note: The Asian American/Pacific Islander category was created by combining the Asian and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander categories. The other/unreported category includes students who identify as two or more races or as non-U.S. citizens and those whose race/ethnicityis unknown or unreported. Totals may not equal 100 because of rounding. These data include institutions that grant associate or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. 25Students of all ages attend community college.

Historically, community colleges attracted older or nontraditional age students that is, students over age 24 but younger or more traditional age students are enrolling in community colleges in larger numbers. Here we see ages of students enrolled in U.S. community colleges in fall 2009.

In 2009, more than half (53 percent) of community college students were between the ages of 18 and 24.

Students ages 25 to 34 were the next largest group (21 percent of students).

Just 5 percent of community college students were ages 50 and older.

Do not read. Sources listed for reference.

Source: AAUW analysis of U.S. Department of Education, 2009. Integrated postsecondary education data system (IPEDS) fall enrollment survey. National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: Author.

Note: Students whose age is unknown or unreported are not included. These data include institutions that grant associate or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. 26Community College Enrollment:Women and men study different fields.

The lack of information and guidance at community colleges perhaps hurts students most when they are choosing a program of study. Confronted with many options and little guidance, students may struggle with how to select a program of study and a degree goal.

A recent study suggests that community college students want more information about which programs and credentials prepare them for which jobs and careers and are relying on their institutions for that kind of information and guidance.

But that information can be difficult to get, and without guidance, many students will simply rely on personal preferences or choose fields with which they are familiareven if there are limited employment options in those fields. At least one major consequence of this behavior is that students choose fields that are traditional for their gender, which results in women continuing to earn a majority of degrees and certificates in traditionally female fields that are less likely to lead to high-paying jobs that can support a family.

This table shows associate degrees awarded by community colleges in academic year 200910. Women earn the majority of degrees in health professions and related programs and education, and men earn only a small portion of associate degrees in these fields. Women also earn the majority of degrees in personal and culinary services.

Men earned the vast majority of associate degrees in computer and information sciences, engineering technologies, mechanic and repair technologies, math and statistics, and engineering.

Do not read. Sources listed for reference.

Source: AAUW analysis of U.S. Department of Education, 2010. Integrated postsecondary education data system (IPEDS) fall enrollment survey. National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: Author.

Note: Program categories are as defined by the U.S. Department of Education.27Women and men study different fields.

Certificates are popular among students and are the fastest-growing award in higher education. Many certificate programs require a year or less to finish, so students can complete them relatively quickly and become qualified for available jobs, but here too men and women pursue different fields of study.

Health professions, personal and culinary services, and education were some of the most popular certificate fields for women in community colleges.

Earning an associate degree or a certificate is a good outcome and can lead to better work opportunities and pay, but degrees and certificates in technical, health or science, and math subjects fields offer the highest economic returns.

For instance, compared with workers who have a high school education, women who receive an associate degree see a 22 percent increase, on average, in earnings. Men who receive an associate degree see a 13 percent increase in earnings, on average.

The higher returns for women are due in part to their concentration in health fields like nursing (as shown here), which offer relatively high salaries for two-year degree holders.

But women are underrepresented in other high-paying fields, like science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and STEM-related fields.

In 2010, the median hourly wage was $17.04 for welders, $23.20 for electricians, and $17.21 for automotive technicians. In contrast, the median hourly wage was $9.28 for child care workers and $10.82 for cosmetologists and hairstylists.

Womens underrepresentation in STEM and STEM-related fields reduces the likelihood that their community college education will bring the expected payoff. STEM and STEM-related fields account for an increasing number of new, and high-paying, positions, so for women and especially for low-income women and mothers who want to support their families, earning a degree in STEM can be a stepping stone to a better-paying career.

Do not read. Sources listed for reference.

Source: AAUW analysis of U.S. Department of Education, 2010. Integrated postsecondary education data system (IPEDS) fall enrollment survey. National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: Author.

Note: Program categories are as defined by the U.S. Department of Education.

28How can community colleges increase the number of women in nontraditional fields, including STEM?Actively recruit women for nontraditional fields and STEM fields.

Ensure that academic and career advising do not inadvertently reinforce stereotypes or promote discrimination against women.

Expose women in nontraditional fields to role models and mentors.

Engage students in reviewing transfer requirements early and often in their college career.

AAUW makes the following recommendations for increasing the number of women who enroll and earn certificates and associate degrees in nontraditional fields, as well as the number of women who transfer to four-year institutions to earn bachelors degrees in STEM.

Recruit more women into nontraditional fields and STEM fields.Active outreach to and recruitment of women students is needed in nontraditional fields and STEM at community colleges. Many women may not initially express an interest in nontraditional or STEM fields, but community colleges can enhance outreach and marketing to women in these fields by developing recruitment materials that feature women and help demystify unfamiliar fields for women students. Recruitment materials should also include information on job opportunities, earnings, and educational requirements for nontraditional and STEM fields.

Ensure that academic and career advising do not reinforce stereotypes or promote discrimination of women.Academic advisers are a key point of contact for students, and academic advising promotes student success. Academic and career advisers, including faculty, can play a major role in increasing womens participation in fields where they are underrepresented. Academic advisers should be educated about occupational segregation, gender bias, and the importance of promoting nontraditional careers to women and men.

Expose women in nontraditional fields to role models and mentors.Research suggests that women who persevere in nontraditional fields must be resilient, despite the barriers they face. Successful women in nontraditional and STEM fields can serve as role models and mentors for female students, offer suggestions and strategies for success, and reinforce the message that women can be successful in these fields.

Engage students in reviewing transfer requirements early and often in their college career.Educating students about the requirements for transferring to four-year institutions early in their college careers is critical to keeping that option open and minimizing student expense. This information may be especially important for students in STEM, where the requiredsequence of courses can be more rigid than in other subjects.

29Secondary94 Programs6821 Students25% Females68% WhitePost-secondary41 Programs1434 Students13% Females64% WhiteColorado CTE:Engineering & CAD

30Colorado CTE:Information TechnologySecondary40 Programs1350 Students37% Females63% WhitePost-secondary29 Programs1260 Students33% Females60% White

31Colorado CTE:Health SciencesSecondary33 programs1,598 students75% female49% WhitePost-Secondary154 programs10,845 students73% female64% White

Colorado CTE:Agriculture/EnergySecondary 99 programs 5220 Students39% Female79% White Post-secondary22 programs938 students39% Female70% White

AAUW drew on the large body of academic research on gender in science in a number of fields and identified eight research findings that help to explain the underrepresentationof women and girls in STEM. 34

Eight research findings in three areas:

How social and environmental factors shape womens achievements and interests in math and science

The climate of college and university science and engineering departments

Continuing influence of biasWhy So Few? presents evidence that social and environmental factors contribute to the underrepresentation of women and girls in STEM.35Women's achievements and interests in math and science are shaped by the environment around them.36Negative stereotypes about girls and womens abilities in math and science adversely affect their performance in these fields.Expose women to successful female role models in math and science. Teach students about stereotype threat.Source: Spencer, S. J., Steele, C. M., & Quinn, D. M., 1999, "Stereotype threat and women's math performance," Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 35(1), p. 13.Performance on a Challenging Math Test, by Stereotype Threat Condition and Gender

37Spatial skills are not innate and can be improved with training.

One of the largest and most persistent gender gaps in cognitive skills is found in the area of mental rotation, where males consistently outperform females.Building as well as drawing can help develop spatial skills.

38Women are harder on themselves in terms of assessing their abilities in math and science fields.

Does this rectangle have more black or more white?39 Set clear performance standards Help women recognize their career-relevant skills

40Mindsets Survey

Dweck Video

In math and science, a growth mindset benefits women. Fixed MindsetGrowth MindsetIntelligence is static.Intelligence can be developed.Leads to a desire to look smart and therefore a tendency toLeads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency toavoid challengesembrace challengesgive up easily due to obstaclespersist despite obstacles see effort as fruitlesssee effort as path to masteryignore useful feedbacklearn from criticismbe threatened by others success be inspired by others success Teach individuals that intellectual skills can be acquired.

Praise students for effort.

Highlight the struggle.

Gifted and talented programs should send the message that they value growth and learning.42Bias, often unconscious, limits womens progress in scientific and engineering fields.43Even people who consciously reject negative stereotypes about women in science can still hold those beliefs at an unconscious level.

Take a test to learn about your unconscious bias at https://implicit.harvard.edu.Take steps to address your biases.

Most people associate science and math fields with male and humanities and arts fields with female.

44Women in male jobs are viewed as less competent than their male peers.

When women are clearly competent, they are often considered less likable. Raise awareness about bias against women in STEM fields.Create clear criteria for success.Women in nontraditional fields can find themselves in a double bind.45Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

To download the report:www.aauw.org

To contact the researchers:aauw-research@aauw.org

46Women in STEM GrantFunded by National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE)On September 26, 2011, the White House and the National Science Foundation recognized NAPE for its STEM Equity Pipeline initiative, which is adding momentum to a nationwide shift that promises to strengthen the US economy and job security even as it strengthens families across the country.

GOALS of the Stem Equity Pipeline (SEP)Building the capacity of the formal education communityConnecting the outcomes to existing accountability systemsBroadening the commitment to gender equity and diversity in STEM Education.Final ThoughtChallenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch - what make you go beyond the norm.

50CTE is For RealCTE is practical, authentic, genuine, relevantCTE is about preparing young people for the real world of adulthood CTE instills real skills such as teamwork, work ethic, and leadershipCTE is a real answer to Colorados need to strengthen its workforce

Personal Action PlanBased on todays workshop, I am going to (list specific actions)

Specific benefits I feel will come from my actions are

Specific obstacles that may hinder my actions are

One important bit of information I am going to share with my colleagues isSourcesWomen in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation (2011)U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, ESA Issue Brief #03-11Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (2010)American Association of University WomenColorados K-12 STEM Ed Report Card (2011)STEMConnectorGraduating to a Pay Gap: The Earnings of Women and Men One Year after College Graduation (2013)American Association of University WomenWomen in Community Colleges: Access to Success (2013)American Association of University Women

Thank You!

Jennifer JirousColorado Community College SystemJennifer.jirous@cccs.edu