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International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated globally on March 8th every year to recognize the social, economic, cultural, political, and other important achievements of women. It also marks a call to action for promoting gender equality in education and career training. Teaching children — especially girls — about this important day and introducing them to career options in STEM fields like cybersecurity is vital for shaping a more inclusive and equitable future.
Why Kids Need to Know About IWD and Career Equality
Understanding the significance of International Women's Day not only teaches students to recognize women’s historical contributions to society, but also about ongoing inequalities and ways to address them. For example, many careers centered in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) are quite lucrative and would benefit from more diverse perspectives, yet for roughly the last decade, about 65% of people in STEM careers were men.
Now more than ever, it’s vital that all children have the resources they need to build STEM and digital skills for cutting-edge information technology careers like cybersecurity.
How to Help Girls Learn About Women in Cybersecurity Careers
In order to encourage girls in STEM subjects and careers like cybersecurity, in which women currently also have low representation, parents and educators will need to ensure kids understand the field’s value and role in the all-important area of internet safety. Part of this entails exploring resources for offering girls positive exposure and tailored educational pathways to cybersecurity and other STEM fields.
Programs and initiatives like Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) provide resources and support for women and girls interested in this arena. A quick Google search will reveal plenty of other educational tools, such as:
US Cyber Challenge’s Cyber Quests
PBS Nova Labs Cybersecurity Lab
PBS Cyberchase
Cyber A.C.E.S. Program
Cybrary
Codecademy
National Cyber League
By celebrating the achievements of women and providing diverse educational resources to girls in cybersecurity and other STEM subjects, parents and teachers can promote gender equality in fields where women have historically been underrepresented. In doing so, we can empower more girls to have lucrative careers and make contributions that will benefit everyone.
Teach Girls About Cybersecurity With Net Positive
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens and leaders. We accomplish this by providing evidence-based programs with a focus on those that improve academic engagement, build character, and promote healthy behaviors.
Our Net Positive Program educates K-12 students about digital safety, health, citizenship, and leadership. After participating in our program, students are 97% better prepared to face internet dangers. Contact us to learn more and ask your school to schedule a Net Positive Presentation today!
References
Deitz, E. G. a. S. (n.d.). Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities 2023 | NSF - National Science Foundation. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf23315/report/the-stem-workforce#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20about%20two%2Dthirds,points%20from%202011%20to%202021.
International Women’s Day | LearnEnglish Kids. (n.d.). https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/read-write/magazine/international-womens-day
Online Masters Degree in Cybersecurity. (2020, October 9). Cybersecurity Education Guide - k-12 - Students - Education. Online Masters Degree in Cybersecurity | Guide to Cybersecurity Graduate Programs. https://www.cybersecurityeducationguides.org/k-12-cybersecurity-education-guide/