Women and the High Tech Knowlege Economy

Women and the High Tech Knowledge Economy

Although most Michigan leaders accept that turning our struggling economy around will require increasing rates of college education, particularly in science, technology and engineering, there has been virtually no public discussion of the impact of women’s low participation rates in those fields on the state’s economic development efforts.

Michigan Women and the High-Tech Knowledge Economy,by Susan Kaufmann, CEW Associate Director for Advocacy, explores how women are doing in the high-demand, high-wage, high-tech sector. Between 2000 and 2005, the number of entering undergraduate women majoring in computer science declined by 70% nationally, and women dropped to only 16% of new engineering undergraduates. Half the current science and engineering workforce is approaching retirement, and businesses are clamoring for highly-trained workers.

The paper closes with a call to action, with recommendations to the state and federal governments, local school boards, colleges and universities, and the citizens of Michigan. The report concludes that, unless Michigan schools, colleges and universities educate more women in science, technology and engineering, Michigan won’t have the trained workforce we need to attract, develop and retain 21st century employers.