Manufacturing: MFG DAY 2015!

Save The Date:

October 2, 2015

 

In lieu of my typical blog post, I wanted to take the time to increase awareness of a nationally focused day that is dear to my heart! Manufacturing Day℠ is a celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers. Although Manufacturing Day officially occurs on the first Friday in October—this year is October 2, 2015—any day can be a Manufacturing Day. Copied directly from the www.mfgday.com mission (http://www.mfgday.com/about-us):

MFG DAY addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t. By working together during and after MFG DAY, manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.

As of the sharing of this information, there are 363 events scheduled around the United States, and the list keeps growing. Throughout Arkansas, some participants include:

Arkansas First Incorporated in Little Rock

Baldor Electric Company in Fort Smith

Cameron in Little Rock

Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce

National Park College in Piney

Pace Industries in Harrison

South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado

To find an event in your area, visit http://www.mfgday.com/events

The purpose of these events is to give students first-hand, and oftentimes, hands on experience in understanding how things are made. It is also a good opportunity for parents to witness 21st century, advanced manufacturing processes and potential career paths for their children. Specifically in Arkansas, the Museum of Discovery has an exhibit, fashioned after the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood tv show, that demonstrates “How People Make Things.” The program applies STEM principles in a fun format to engage students in basic manufacturing processes like cutting, molding deforming, and assembly on multi-axis machines. To learn more about the exhibit that runs until September 22, 2015, visit http://www.mfgday.com/resources/teaching-children.  

There are lots of opportunities to discover and explore the excitement of manufacturing. If your company or community is sponsoring a MFG DAY event that you would like to highlight, feel free to comment or send me an email to latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Training a Child for Good Works

Train up a child in the way he should go:

and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

(Proverbs 22:6)

I cannot believe that today is the last day of May. This month has passed by so quickly, that I never got to provide an update that our son was selected to attend the National Flight Academy program. I am excited to share that he was one of one hundred lucky students selected to represent the Memphis metro area. I am even more excited to share that the expense of the program was sponsored and paid for by FedEx, strong community advocates for STEM education.

So with that news, we entered a new season. As a corporate sponsor, FedEx provided transportation from Memphis to the naval base in Pensacola, FL. As the parents of an only child, last night was our first time handing off our child to complete strangers for a nine hour bus ride that crossed five state lines. Sure, he has attended sleep away camps before (in 2013, he was selected to attend the Lonestar Leadership Academy near Dallas, but we dropped him off and made sure that a he and the camp had the emergency contact number of a close family member, if needed). In this situation, we had to trust that we have raised a good child and prepared him to represent his family, his city, and the program well.

Although sending our child off for a week was semi-new to us, the NFA program provided parents and students with a handbook that clearly explained all protocols and procedures. That came as no surprise, considering that the camp takes place on a military base. I am sharing the guidelines for anyone with children attending their first sleep away camp:

Conquering Home Sickness

The key to dealing with homesickness is to prepare the child in advance:

• Do ask a close friend or relative to register for the same session your child is attending.
• Do have your child spend the night with friends or relatives.
• Do discuss what the program will be like before your child leaves home, addressing any concerns.
• Do not tell children you will rescue them if they do not like the program.
• Do assure your child of your love.
• Do send along a favorite stuffed animal.
• Do not go into great detail about what your child may be missing at home.

If, despite all efforts, your child does become homesick:

• Do acknowledge your child’s feelings.
• Do reassure your child of your love.
• Do reassure your child the program is an opportunity for children to grow, mature and gain independence.
• Do not mention how much you miss your child.

It’s been over twelve hours since the departure. He has sent us a couple of text messages, but no calls as of yet. My mother reminded me that I acted the same way when I attended my first sleep away camp (Camp Couchdale), not calling as a way of demonstrating my independence, so, I had to laugh at the way that life as a way of repeating itself. We prepared him for this moment to prove that when required, he will not depart from the home training instilled in him. How are you training the children in for family or community to be prepared for the good works and opportunities afforded to them? Please comment or send me an email to latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Women In Manufacturing Summit

Save the dates: September 23 - 25, 2015

Attract!

Retain!

Advance!

It is hard to believe that almost four years have passed since I participated in the inaugural Women in Manufacturing symposium. In lieu of a blog post this week, I am passing on information about the upcoming 2015 summit and sharing a #ThrowbackThursday picture of the amazing women who contributed with me on the 2011 Best Practices Discussion Panel:

Women in Manufacturing™ is a nearly 500-member-strong national organization dedicated to the attraction, retention and advancement of women who are pursuing or have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry.  This group encourages the engagement of women who want to share perspectives, gain cutting-edge manufacturing information, improve leadership and communication skills, and participate in sponsoring programs and network with industry peers. - See more at: http://www.womeninmanufacturing.org/

The Women in Manufacturing SUMMIT will be held September 23 - 25, 2015 in Minneapolis, MN. This annual SUMMIT is geared toward women who have chosen careers in manufacturing and want to share perspectives and network with others in the industry. SUMMIT 2015 is expected to attract more than 300 professional women in manufacturing with titles ranging from production to CEO. The agenda includes optional plant tours of Medtronics, Valspar, Pentair, or Caterpillar; a discussion of Generations & Gender; Transforming Your Manufacturing Business for the Digital Age; Smart Girls in STEM; Workforce Development, and much more! – To register: http://www.womeninmanufacturing.org/summit2015/register-now

If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Service in Good Works

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, 

and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

(Galatians 6:10)

I am a mom, so I have earned the right to brag on the good things that our son does. For the past couple of weeks, he has been working on applications for various organizations and summer programs. He solicited his own adults to write letters of recommendation. It did my heart good to hear other adults and parents confirm about our child what we already know to be true. He completed the applications and wrote all of his essays with little input from us. One of the things that I was most proud of was that he could pick and choose which of his community service activities to include with his application packages.

What exactly is he applying to be selected?  I am glad you asked.

• He was nominated by his school for membership into the James H. Carter Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. NJHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship and character. Five main purposes have guided chapters of NJHS from the beginning: to create enthusiasm for scholarship; to stimulate a desire to render service; to promote leadership; to encourage responsible citizenship; and to develop character in the students of secondary schools. 

Source: https://www.njhs.us/about-us.aspx

• He was nominated by his mommy (because he must engage in something besides play video games during the summer months) to apply for the Leaders of Tomorrow Program. LOT is a national network of high school students and MBA professionals / mentors who focus on student empowerment. The mission is to develop positive and socially aware high school students for transformative leadership in college, careers, and community service. Throughout the summer and fall term, leaders participate in a variety of activities, workshops, and events that emphasize growth in the leadership areas of academics, professional development, community service,  securing internships & scholarships, and goal setting & attainment.

• He was informed of the local opportunity to apply to participate in the National Flight Academy Program. The information brochure stated: Across the country, communities are rallying support to focus on student success in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. The NFA Centers of Inspiration provide a holistic approach to inspiring student interest and engaging them in order to keep them challenged and excited about pursing STEM curriculum.  The A.I.R. program takes place onboard Ambition, located on the grounds of the National Naval Aviation museum in Pensacola, Florida. For multiple days, 8th – 11th graders compete against each other in engaging and intense real-life scenarios that combine the thrill of flight with critical thinking techniques. To apply online:   http://hub.obap.org/home/nfa

While we are still waiting to hear back on whether or not he was accepted into the latter two programs, we are proud to attend his induction ceremony for NJHS next week. With his acceptance letter was a form to return, indicating how he will serve the school next year among other things. His selection: leading the community service outreach efforts. How are you encouraging your children on the importance of community service in their purposed work? Feel free to comment, or send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post, and want to  catch up on some of my previous discussion, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com.

Ordained for Good Works

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;

Before you were born I sanctified you;

I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

(Jeremiah 4:5)

I use this platform to share with others things that excite and/or inspire me along my journey of finding my purposed work. Last night, I watched the re-broadcast of #BlackGirlsRock! Founder Beverly Bond launched her purposed work through a youth empowerment and mentoring organization established to promote the arts for young women of color, as well as to encourage dialogue and analysis of the ways women of color are portrayed in the media. (To learn more, visit http://www.blackgirlsrockinc.com/). The fifth awards ceremony aired on Easter Sunday, honoring and celebrating the accomplishments and good works of black girls from eight to their eighties!

The Change Agent honoree, an educator, proclaimed that she “opened a school to close a prison.” Nadia Lopez is the principal at Brooklyn’s Motts Hall Bridges Academy, a school focused on STEM and arts education. She gained national attention when her viral campaign to send five students to Harvard raised over $1M in contributions. She said that before giving her acceptance speech, she paused and drew strength from Jeremiah 1:4-12, and delivered this:

“I wanna thank God for this day and appointed time. I also want to thank Beverly for your vision and conviction. To allow someone like me to even be honored. As women, we are constantly having to prove our worth, intelligence and having to fight for respect on our jobs, in society and many times in our homes. Ironically, when one of us women achieves recognizable success, we are taught to question the credibility of that success instead of expecting greatness and celebrating it.

The SHE that is great, whether recognized or not, lives in all of us. She is significant. She is heroic. And she is exquisite. God fashioned each of us with gifts and talents and abilities that I have been blessed to use. And I use them to empower children. So the daily question that I ask myself that I ask you is ‘What are you doing with God’s gift?’ How are you changing the world? And how are you making a difference in the lives of children?  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to remind my scholars that learning is a lifelong process and the reason why we wear black and purple is because we are descendants of royalty and they are bound for greatness.”

Transcribed  Speech Courtesy

http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/2015/04/black-girls-rock-2015-recap.html

There were so many motivating and tear-worthy moments throughout the show. Ms. Lopez became a new shero, a woman walking in her purposed work. Instead of complaining about the education system in her community, she became the Change Agent, doing what she was ordained to do. How are you using your gifts to change your community or to make a difference in the life of a child? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

A Promise of Good Works

And this shall be a sign to you,

You shall eat this year such as grows of itself;

and the second year that which springs of the same:

and in the third year

sow you, and reap, and plant vineyards,

and eat the fruit thereof.

(Isaiah 37:30)

 I do not know what is about being in Arkansas that makes me write as if my life experiences were a metaphor for agriculture: sowing, reaping, planting, harvesting… I digress. Ever felt like you were in a wilderness, a place where nothing seems to grow? Sometimes, you simply have to weather the seasons, do the work, and continue to plant and sow until the harvest. Succeeding at anything in life, like farming, is a process that is not for the faint.  However, you keep toiling, looking for the sign of the fulfillment of the prophecy, or the promise…

Are you familiar with the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp? The camp provides 48 rising 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students the opportunity to enhance their proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education while living on a college campus - all at no cost to the child or family. I became aware of this program sponsored by The Harris Foundation when we lived in Beaumont and knew some of the beneficiary attendees from the Lamar University camp. Well, the twenty sites for the 2015 camp season have been announced. I am glad to see that the University of Arkansas – Little Rock is one of the named camp locations. (NOTE:  I am still researching to see which school districts are recruiting students for the competitive 48 spots.)




Summer 2015 Summer Science Camp Sites

To be eligible to apply, students should:

• Be members of a traditionally underserved and underrepresented population;
• Be entering 6th, 7th or 8th grade in the fall of 2015;
• Have a GPA of at least “B” overall in mathematics and science;
• Score at the median to superior level on standardized mathematics and science tests;
• Write a 250-word essay describing their interest in the camp and STEM;
• Be interviewed, if deemed necessary;
• Have exhibited an interest in mathematics and science; and
• Have strong recommendations from their current mathematics and science teachers.

To learn more, visit http://theharrisfoundation.org/sitecontent/565/summer-science-camp/category/457/education.aspx

 
The science camp opportunity reminds me of my first exposure to opportunities in STEM related fields. I did not attend my first on-campus camp until the summer between my junior and senior year of high school, but I remember how the experience motivated me to toil harder. Imagine the promise that lies ahead for the students who are exposed and graced to attend these camps in the 6th, 7^th, or 8^th grades! Imagine the promise of how this type of engagement could change the trajectory of children who live in the wilderness of those underserved, underrepresented communities and populations!  If not this camp, how can we advocate to get more of our young people exposed and engaged in other STEM focused camps? What are you doing in your local community in teaching children that it is never too early to begin toiling and working toward the promise of good works? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/


Obedience in Good Works

Obedience is better than sacrifice…

(1 Samuel 15:22)

If you really know me, you know that I profess the Holy Spirit’s grace and mercy by speaking favor over my life. By the instruction of David Frazier, I wave my hand over my head whenever I say the word FAVOR and declare that I believe all that His Word says about me. So when things happen in my life that I do not understand, I know that in the spirit, the experience is for my good. And that faith is what keeps me sane as my family enters a new season and begins a new journey.

When I first learned that we were re-locating again for my husband’s career, my first response was what? My second response…now?  All I could think about were the efforts exhausted during the past three years to become a part of the community. As I tried to reconcile the enormity of a move, everything around me kept reminding me that obedience is better than sacrifice. And that faith, knowing that humble submission to the Father’s will, is greater than any personal sacrifice that I have to make as my family enters this new season and begins our new journey.

When I finally settled down to examine how this change aligned with His Word spoken over my life, He revealed that none of this is a surprise, exposing the rams that He had already positioned for this moment: the teams and infrastructure in place that keep us connected to clients, regardless of physical location; the location of our new home that puts me less than thirty minutes away from a major international airport; and my favorite, the loyalty points that have already been accumulated that can be used to visit the office during the transition months. And that faith, seeing small examples of favor in my life, is what allows me to walk with bolder confidence that this is working for our good as my family enters this new season and begins our new journey.

When I opened my eyes and my heart to see the possibilities in our new community, I realized that I am in a fertile land to expand the purposed work as advocates of educating young people about the 21st century realities of manufacturing and other STEM related careers. I know that I am exactly where I am supposed to be for a time such as this. And that faith, knowing that grace and mercy came before me, is the best blessing of all as my family enters this new season and begins our new journey.

Waving my hand over my head, I speak FAVOR over my life and over my family’s life in our new home. This move is not what I planned, yet, I know that it is for the good of my purposed work. Not my will, but Thy Will be done, thus I submit: obedience is better than sacrifice. If you would like to share your experiences about re-locating while building a business, or being obedient to unplanned events in your good works, let us know by commenting or sending an email to latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of the previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

http://www.onlylyrics.com/david-frazier-lyrics-1030949.php

Million Women Mentors

Partnership Seeks to Engage

More Than One Million Girls and Young Women

in STEM Education and Careers

I am so thankful to be graced to continue to share this journey of Purposed Work. My 2014 travel schedule has started. In lieu of a blog post this week, I’m sharing information about an exciting program for “advancing women and girls in STEM careers through mentoring.”

The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) announced its partnership with the "Million Women Mentors" (MWM) initiative, launched January 8, 2014, in Washington, D.C., at the National Press Club, as part of National Mentoring Month. A collective effort of more than 40 nonprofit, media, education, government, and industry partners and 9 corporate sponsors, MWM will support the engagement of 1 million science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) mentors--male and female--to increase the interest and confidence of girls and young women to pursue and succeed in STEM degrees and careers.

In the past 10 years, growth in STEM jobs has been three times greater than that of non-STEM jobs. Today 80% of the fastest growing occupations in the United States depend on mastery of mathematics and knowledge and skills in hard sciences. Although women comprise 48% of the U.S. workforce, just 24% are in STEM fields, a statistic that has held constant for nearly the past decade. Although 75% of all college students are women and students of color, they represent only 45% of STEM degrees earned each year. Too many of these young women begin in STEM degree paths but leave despite their good academic standing, often citing uncomfortable classroom experiences and disconcerting climate. Even when women earn a STEM degree, they are less likely than their male counterparts to work in a STEM field--even though STEM jobs pay more and have a lower wage gap: 92 cents on a dollar versus 75 cents in other fields.

NAPE, through its Education Foundation, has developed a suite of professional development programs for administrators, educators, and counselors/advisors to improve opportunities for underrepresented populations in STEM courses of study and careers, including STEM-related Career and Technical Education. NAPE's  STEM Equity Pipeline™ offerings include the  Program Improvement Process for Equity™,  Micromessaging to Reach and Teach Every Student™, and the  Focus on Counselors Initiative. To date, NAPE has provided professional development in these programs to almost 1,700 administrators, educators, and counselors/advisors in 372 schools. 

As part of National Mentoring Month, on January 16, 2014, at 1 pm EST, NAPE will actively engage those who mentor girls in STEM in a webinar titled Building Trust.  NAPE COO Claudia Morrell will discuss the importance of paying attention to the use of subtle but powerful micromessages in building trust in mentor/mentee relationships. As explained by Ms. Morrell, "Without honesty there is no credibility in the mentor/mentee relationship, and the mentor becomes just one more person in a long line of people repeating things the mentee doesn't believe. NAPE is excited to contribute to this initiative by providing guidance to mentors about the best ways to communicate with their mentees."

Register for this free webinar today!

 To become involved with NAPE or Million Women Mentors, please visit www.napequity.org  or www.MillionWomenMentors.org . Contact: Claudia Morrell, Chief Operating Officer, (610) 593-8038.

If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Giving Good Works

Give and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—

pressed down, shaken together to make room for more,

running over, and poured into your lap.

The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.

(Luke 6:38)

I am writing this blog post on the evening that I learned of the death of a beloved world leader, Mr. Nelson Mandela. I can remember where I was on the day that he was freed after serving 27 years in prison and when I became a student of his great work. To go from prison to president sounds unimaginable to the faithless, but in his own words: It always seems impossible until it is done. Personally, my favorite Mandela quote is that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Education comes in various forms, as a process for acquiring knowledge and skills. Most people think of the formal classes we take to learn a particular subject matter. Personally, I am a hands-on-learner and subscribe to the conventional wisdom of “give me a fish and feed me for a day, teach me to fish and I will feed myself and my family for a lifetime.” Education, for me, takes form when I have real world experience and application.

As advocates of educating young people about the possibilities of future careers in manufacturing, we know it is just as important to begin engaging students as early as possible with relative application today. We want to give kids hands-on-experience in math, problem solving, teambuilding, assembly, and competition. Our proposal is to get more students actively involved in combat robotics. Latrobe has committed to becoming a sponsor of the National Robotics League competition to be held in Cleveland, OH on May 16^th and 17^th, 2014. (To learn more, visit the NRL website at http://www.gonrl.org/index.php or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GoNRL .) Personally, I have committed to getting more smaller school districts in my home state of Arkansas engaged in cost-effective robotics league programs. I have begun discussion with local educators and hope to have formal programs ready to launch (and fully funded) for the 2014-2015 school year. Our goal is to allow real world experience and application of manufacturing and science concepts for children who may otherwise not get the early exposure.

Pay-It-Forward is a common meme about giving, sowing into others without expectation of repayment, because of the blessings that have been bestowed upon you. My gift to the small communities that have nurtured me over the years is investing in our youth today, through robotics and other STEM-related programs, to get them to see the potential in careers in manufacturing. Personally, my hope is that a seed of good works is planted in the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs. What are you giving to your community to educate and equip our children with lifetime knowledge to change the world? Let us know by commenting or sending me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Executing Good Works

US Airways has become my airline of choice as of late. Even with the inconvenience of knowing that I will probably have to connect thru the Charlotte airport, I appreciate the value tradeoff between time and cost. This week, as I was waiting on a flight to take off, I casually picked up the latest copy of the US Airways Magazine and was pleasantly surprised to read the 50 page spread introducing a large audience to the nation’s HBCU colleges and universities and their longstanding traditions of curriculum for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing) related careers. To read more about the schools, visit the full article found at

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pace/usairways_august2013/#/50

Just as I hope the US Airways article helps to shatter myths associated with HBCUs to a broader audience, I feel the need to do a better job of executing our plans of educating the masses about the good works and careers available in manufacturing. There is an information gap about the jobs that are available in the industry. Part of the lack of knowledge is that when people think of manufacturing, the connotation of a dirty, oily, smelly work environment comes to mind. Based on my experiences in manufacturing, I can tell you that:

§  Manufacturing productivity is at an all-time high.

§  Manufacturing jobs continue to pay very competitive wages and benefits.

§  Modernized facilities have excellent working conditions and plant safety procedures have improved.

There are typically four career pathways in manufacturing: production workers, skilled trades, engineering, and support/managerial services (which include a wide variety of functional, professional, and executive-level vocations). What are the typical functions of production workers, whose work is generally a measure of time and cost? In other words, let’s answer the question of what are the best entry level jobs and training to begin a career in manufacturing. For example:

• Assembly Operators tend to manually put together or operate equipment that produces a finished product (just this morning I have seen ads for jobs ranging from assembling Igloo coolers to super microcomputers).
• Packaging and Filling Operators set up or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment.
• Material Handlers or Conveyor Operators control equipment or conveyor systems that move materials or products to and from various production processes or locations within the plant.

So looking at the job functions, I agree that the responsibilities are not exciting, initially. If you can read basic instructions, perform basic math operations, and meet basic safety/quality/production goals, then there are job opportunities waiting for you. What if I re-engineered the job description to read that we are looking for people for good works with the ability to Measure! Anticipate! Communicate! Correct! Execute! Would that get you more excited about the good works that are available?

Most people do not recognize the humility of beginning as an entry level production worker and advancing their way up to executive level. I have gained some of my most insightful experiences in work and life because I have been there, done that, and can call a spade a spade. I value time and cost, two essential elements for executing good works. What do you value, tend to plan/measure, in your pursuit of your purposed work? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Train – Initiate and Educate for Good Works

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it

Proverbs 22:6

Practice what you preach is one of my mantras. We encouraged our son to develop his mechanical skills. We invested in blocks and Legos in our house and since I can remember, Q has talked about becoming an architect. He has always known that his mom is an engineer and that he gets his math skills from me and his mechanical aptitude from his dad. He’s aware of science, technology, and manufacturing vocations. All of the introductions and nurturing came naturally for my male child.

Tay, Q, and Tif--around the age we should initiate career talks.

God did not bless us with daughters, but I have two nieces who are both beautiful and smart. I do not live in the same cities or states as them, but we see each other frequently and are relatively close. They know that Aunt Tanyua is an engineer, but I do not know what they know or think about my work. More importantly, I do not ever recall nurturing their math or mechanical skills or ever talking to them about science, or technology, or manufacturing. I call myself an advocate for getting more young women engaged in manufacturing studies, yet I have not planted the seed with my own flesh and blood, until now. It’s time to stop being a hypocrite and to begin to practice what I preach!

Writing this blog is a good way for me to understand what teenaged girls think about high tech, engineering and STEM related professions. When I was younger, I wanted to be an accountant (because I was good at math) until my high school math teacher, Ms. Wilson, suggested to me that I was an engineer. In tenth grade, she introduced me to the vocation that would become my life’s passion. So today, I interviewed my nieces and introduced them to the idea of future careers in manufacturing or technology.

Name: Taylor

Grade: 10th
School: Southfield Bradford Academy
Favorite Subject and Why: English, because I like writing and I had a teacher, Mr. Kinniebrew, who made it fun.
Current College Thoughts and Why: University of Michigan to major in Journalism
What do you want to be when you grow up: Journalist (TV, newspapers, magazines, blogs, all kinds)
What do you know about manufacturing: It’s the mass production of goods starting from raw material. Everything is manufactured, like cars. (She obviously did some research before the call!)

My younger niece, Tiffany, is an eighth grader at Stuttgart Jr. High. She was shy about sharing her thoughts on college and careers. Both confirmed that I have NEVER initiated a conversation with them about engineering or manufacturing or my work, nor encouraged them to develop their mechanical skills.  When you know better, you do better (Maya Angelou).

I have some work to do in piquing their interest in potential careers in manufacturing or technology (or at least explaining how degrees in journalism, marketing, etc. can be applied to a career supporting the industry). It’s not too late. In 2011, the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity hosted a conference focused on expanding options for women and girls in STEM.  Five strategies suggested to support girls’ success in STEM careers (or to increase awareness of the options) are:

• Know your own biases (challenge our girls to develop math and mechanical skills)
• Exposure early and often (start talking to them as young as possible)
• Engage parents
• Pay attention to the little things (a reminder that girls like blocks and Legos too)
• Use role models (introduce your nieces/cousins to women in non-traditional careers)

In the meantime, I know that discussions of careers and college will become a part of my purposed conversation with my nieces and other young women that I encounter. If we want these future leaders to seek their full career potential, we have to train and educate them early and consistently.

To learn more about efforts to advance careers in STEM, visit www.stemequitypipeline.org