Retaining Women in Engineering: Finding the Perfect Job

Forty percent of women engineering graduates leave engineering within two years of graduating. A study by Nadya Fouad found that the most common reason given by women engineers that never entered the field was they were not interested in engineering. If we can help women keep their interest in engineering, we may be able to retain more women engineers. Luckily engineering is very broad. For example, civil engineers can design skyscrapers in New York City or work with African villagers on sanitation issues. This presentation will demonstrate a new tool designed to help students find early career jobs that align with their interests. RePicture.com is a free website where students and professionals can find careers and jobs based on their interests and discover how these jobs contribute to the wellbeing of society (often a career priority for women). RePicture.com uses the stories of actual engineering projects (that are all around us) and engineering professionals to help students and professionals understand different engineering jobs and careers. The website is based on existing research regarding how to attract and retain women and other underrepresented groups in engineering. The RePicture Program allows students to compete in contests based on their interest. At this time, no formal research has been conducted regarding the tool's effectiveness. When funding becomes available, we will evaluate the potential impact of the tool on students and professionals.