STEMworks™ is new Hawaii Regional Partner of Code.org – Teacher PD Opportunities

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The Maui Economic Development Board announced today that STEMworks™, the flagship program of Women in Technology’s STEM initiative, is joining Code.org® as a Hawaii regional partner.

STEMworks™ becomes part of Code.org’s nationwide network of Regional Partners to advance computer science education in K-12 schools on every island in the state of Hawaii.  The STEM program will also provide quality professional development to educators through coding workshops and other related technology events.

Code.org is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing participation by women and underrepresented minorities. It is supported by generous donors including Microsoft, Facebook, the Infosys Foundation, Google, Omidyar Network, and many more.

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According to the latest statistics, computing occupations are now the number 1 source of all new wages in the U.S. and comprise two-thirds of all projected new jobs in STEM fields, making Computer Science one of the most in-demand college degrees.

Hawaii currently has 1,318 open computing jobs (4.6 times the average demand rate in Hawaii). The average salary for a computing occupation in HI is $80,734, which is significantly higher than the average salary in the state ($49,430).

“Despite all of these high-paying job opportunities, the state only produced 155 computer science graduates in 2015 – and only 17% were female,” Isla Young, Director  of STEM Education & Workforce Development, said.  “We need to improve access for every student in every school in Hawaii, including groups like girls and minorities who have been traditionally underrepresented.”

“With the help of our industry and educational partners, we are excited to help elementary, middle and high school students gain foundational computer science (CS) knowledge. CS skills are becoming critical in remaining competitive in a 21stcentury workforce,” Isla said. “The CS Fundamentals, CS Discoveries and CS Principles curricula will help build a continuum of computer science education in the K-12 educational pipeline.

 TEACHER PD OPPORTUNITIES

Middle and high school teachers interested in upcoming professional development opportunities and facilitating Code.org curricula during the 2018/2019 school year are encouraged to join the STEMworks™ interest list: goo.gl/Fx3moG. Applications will be available in January 2018. Download the flyer here.

For more information on STEMworks™, visit stemworkshawaii.org. To learn more of what you can do to improve K-12 CS education, go to code.org.

Women in Technology is a statewide initiative of the Maui Economic Development Board, funded in part by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, and Agriculture as a workforce development project.

STEMworks™ is new Hawaii Regional Partner of Code.org

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October 13, 2017 – The Maui Economic Development Board announced today that STEMworks™, the flagship program of Women in Technology’s STEM initiative, is joining Code.org® as a Hawaii regional partner.

STEMworks™ becomes part of Code.org’s nationwide network of Regional Partners to advance computer science education in K-12 schools on every island in the state of Hawaii. The STEM program will also provide quality professional development to educators through coding workshops and other related technology events.

Code.org is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing participation by women and underrepresented minorities. It is supported by generous donors including Microsoft, Facebook, the Infosys Foundation, Google, Omidyar Network, and many more.

According to the latest statistics, computing occupations are now the number 1 source of all new wages in the U.S. and comprise two-thirds of all projected new jobs in STEM fields, making Computer Science one of the most in-demand college degrees.

Hawaii currently has 1,318 open computing jobs (4.6 times the average demand rate in Hawaii). The average salary for a computing occupation in HI is $80,734, which is significantly higher than the average salary in the state ($49,430).

“Despite all of these high-paying job opportunities, the state only produced 155 computer science graduates in 2015 – and only 17% were female,” Isla Young, Director of STEM Education & Workforce Development, said. “We need to improve access for every student in every school in Hawaii, including groups like girls and minorities who have been traditionally underrepresented.”

“With the help of our industry and educational partners, we are excited to help elementary, middle and high school students gain foundational computer science (CS) knowledge. CS skills are becoming critical in remaining competitive in a 21st century workforce,” Isla said. “The CS Fundamentals, CS Discoveries and CS Principles curricula will help build a continuum of computer science education in the K-12 educational pipeline.

Middle and high school teachers interested in upcoming professional development opportunities and facilitating Code.org curricula during the 2018/2019 school year are encouraged to join the STEMworks™ interest list: goo.gl/Fx3moG. Applications will be available in January 2018.

For more information on STEMworks™, visit stemworkshawaii.org. To learn more of what you can do to improve K-12 CS education, go to Code.org.

Women in Technology is a statewide initiative of the Maui Economic Development Board, funded in part by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, and Agriculture as a workforce development project.

How Girl Scouts of Hawaii wants to develop the next generation of female leadership

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By Katie Murar.  Source: Pacific Business News.

Shari Chang is the CEO of the Girl Scouts of Hawaii. Photo: PBN

Shari Chang is the CEO of the Girl Scouts of Hawaii. Photo: PBN

The Girl Scouts of Hawaii are ramping up efforts to mentor and educate young girls in the Islands to combat declining statistics and bolster the qualified workforce pool in the state.

According to a recent State of Girls report released by the Girl Scout Research Institute, 68 percent of eighth-grade Hawaii girls are not proficient in math, and 68 percent of fourth-grade girls are not proficient in reading.

The organization is trying to combat further dips by introducing STEM programs to young girls in the community as early as kindergarten, as well as increase self-esteem and social qualities to make them competitive job candidates.

Shari Chang is the CEO of the Girl Scouts of Hawaii.  Photo: PBN 

“We have a lot of challenges in Hawaii, and we want to get more girls involved in our program to help solve those challenges and provide training to help make them better people and have better careers,” Shari Chang, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Hawaii, told Pacific Business News. “We try to teach them to advocate for themselves and develop confidence to break the cycle and become great leaders in Hawaii.”

Over the summer, the organization launched 23 new initiatives focused on STEM programs to get younger girls engaged in the math and science industries, as well as community service and life skills programs.

“In order to develop confidence, you have to take risks, and we let that happen in a safe environment that enables progress,” Chang said. “We want our girls to use computational thinking, to think like a programmer, like a citizen scientist.”

Chang added that there is an increasing amount of opportunities in Hawaii, especially in the tech industry, and these programs can help ready Hawaii residents for these jobs, ultimately becoming leaders in their field.

The organization will hold an educational event this November, called STEM Fest Oahu, that will bring together 91 STEM professionals—91 percent of which are women—and 385 girls from all Islands. Two weeks later, it will hold Girl Fest, which will bring in executives from 20 companies including Microsoft and Tesla.





Parents provide more college support for sons than daughters

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By Sarah O’Brien. Source: cnbc.com

  • Parents of boys are more likely to cover the entire cost of college.

  • They also are more willing to prioritize saving for their boys’ college tab over their own retirement.

  • If you have daughters, it’s time to do a gut check.

When it comes to college savings for children, it appears parents are no better than bosses who pay their male workers more.

Moms and dads tend to provide more financial support for their sons, a new study by Baltimore-based T. Rowe Price found. Of parents with only boys — whether one, two, or three or more — 50 percent have money saved for their kids’ college compared with 39 percent of parents whose broods are all girls.

Parents of boys are also more likely to cover the entire cost of college than parents of girls (17 percent versus 8 percent) and less likely to consider sending their male children to a less expensive college to avoid taking on loans. They also are more willing to prioritize saving for their boys’ college tab over their own retirement.

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“Looking at the breadth of the results, it suggests there are some antiquated viewpoints on gender out there,” said Roger Young, a senior financial planner with T. Rowe.

The findings were part of the financial services company’s ninth annual Parents, Kids & Money Survey, which was conducted in January and surveyed about 1,000 parents and their children. Although the study does not point to a reason for the disparity — nor endeavor to explain it — the reduced financial support echoes the workplace reality of women earning less.

In 2016, female workers earned 80.5 cents for every $1 earned by their male counterparts, according to Census Bureau data released this month. That amount is a slight increase from 2015, when it was 79.6 cents for every $1.

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For parents, the survey results suggest it could be time to do a gut check.

“Just take a hard look at your level of financial commitment and make sure you’re not short-changing your girls,” Young said.

As for putting college savings ahead of your own retirement, regardless of your child’s gender: It’s something that generally makes financial advisors cringe.

“It’s great that parents want what’s best for their kids,” Young said. “But when you’re prioritizing your financial life, it’s important to keep things in perspective and save for retirement. You can’t borrow for retirement like you can for college.”

Equal Means Equal special screening at MACC

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A special screening of Equal Means Equal, a documentary on the status of women in America written, directed and produced by Kamala Lopez, will be presented by Maui Pride, Deborah Vial and Caron Barrett on Friday, October 6, 2017  at 7:00 pm at the MACC’s McCoy Studio Theater.

Preshow entertainment will include the music of Cheryl Rae and Kurt David Russell. Food and beverages will be available in the McCoy Courtyard beginning 5:30 p.m.

Tickets on sale now for $8. Buy tickets here.

Please visit http://mauiarts.org/EME  for more details.

“What Women Need to Know about Financial Security and the Workplace” ESBA Webinar

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Source: Women’s Bureau, US Dept. of Labor

The Women’s Bureau invites you to a webcast hosted by Employee Benefits Security Administration:

What Women Need to Know about Financial Security and the Workplace 

Thursday
September, 14th
2:00 p.m. EST

Click Here to Register

ABOUT THIS WEBINAR

Throughout their careers, women may face challenges to their financial security, both short-term and long-term. Many factors can affect their financial goals and the challenges vary from woman to woman. The very nature of their jobs (such as part-time), to taking time out of the workforce to care for family, and living longer in retirement can all impact the financial security for women.

For women serving in the military, transitioning to civilian employment may also become a significant factor. Caregivers and military spouses also face additional considerations impacting their financial security.

Join the Department of Labor for a webcast highlighting these challenges and steps women can take to improve their financial security.

The webcast will feature the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service and the Women’s Bureau, and will provide information on employment and its impact on women’s financial security. Participants will gain an overview of women’s economic and employment challenges, family employment dynamics over time, and the implications for individual and family economic security, as well as tools and information for women of all ages with questions about employment and steps they can take to improve their financial security now and in the future.  We will also highlight resources for veterans in finding employment and transition assistance and will also provide information on financial planning basics including budgeting, managing debt and saving for retirement.

Expand your financial knowledge so you can take steps to achieve short-term financial goals and long-term financial health. Start by signing up for this free webcast.

For more information on the Women’s Bureau and other programs or events in your region, please visit us at WWW.DOL.GOV/WB