160 high school girls from schools throughout Berrien County have had a chance to hear from role models who work in the tech field, thanks to an event organized by Whirlpool on Tuesday. The Get IT Summit was held at Lake Michigan College with guest speakers who inspired the crowd with messages about confidence and career preparedness. The Michigan Council of Women in Technology worked with the Whirlpool Foundation to put the event on. The council’s Tammy Doroshewitz told us they work with companies throughout the state to spread the message that tech is for everyone.
“What we try to do at the Michigan Council of Women in Technology is try to create these safe spaces, single gender, where girls can come together, they can try new things, they can fail at things, and they can build those skills that will eventually give them the confidence to continue in the tech space,” Doroshewitz said.
Doroshewitz says at an early age, girls and boys both show an interest in technical pursuits, but social pressures later on often leave girls looking at other careers. Whirlpool CIO for North America Priya Srivivas told us the company wants to inspire young women to pursue careers in areas where they’re underrepresented.
“Being that we are based in southwest Michigan, we feel like this is our responsibility and our ability to groom some really local talent, not just for now but for the future as well,” Srivivas said. “So, in a way, we are trying to make sure that we are focused on the company’s objectives, but also our function’s objectives of growing a talent pipeline while also giving back to the community.”
The Michigan Council of Women in Technology works with companies throughout the state to get girls pumped up about tech careers. Girls at Tuesday’s event heard from inspirational speakers about how to boost their confidence and about the importance of a college education. More events are planned.
