ExxonMobil employee volunteers last week did their best to inspire the next generation of female engineers.
The company welcomed 140 middle-school girls from 14 schools in both East and West Baton Rouge Parish to the Louisiana Arts & Sciences Museum for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.
“Research shows that when students have role models and are given the opportunity to engage in hands-on engineering activities, it builds their interest in engineering-related fields and most importantly their self-confidence,” says ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Plastics Plant Manager Angela Zeringue. “Programs like this one expose young women in our community to the exciting world of engineering and introduces them to a number of great role models working in our facilities.”
Through hands-on, interactive experiments such as a car engineering activity, approximately 30 ExxonMobil employees led a series of problem-solving activities to teach how creativity and ingenuity can be used in the classroom, and how knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects can lead to rewarding engineering careers.
More than 15,000 students across the U.S. have participated in Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day since the program’s inception in 2003.
According to the Society of Women Engineers, women account for only 13% of the engineering profession, typically high-paying and high-demand jobs.
This story was originally published in 10/12 Industry Report. To keep up with regional industry news, subscribe to the free 10/12 Weekly e-newsletter.
