Events
“Wake Invests in Women” Partners with Triangle Women in STEM to Address Gender Wage Gap
RALEIGH, N.C. (October 10, 2019) - Wake Invests in Women is joining forces with Triangle Women in STEM as it works to address income gaps between men and women in STEM fields. Dozens of members of both groups gathered at Wake Tech’s RTP Campus for “Mind the Gap,” an evening dedicated to sharing research, gathering information, and exploring ideas.
Wake Invests in Women is a collaboration between Wake County, Wake Tech, and community and business partners to affect large scale change. The group, led by an esteemed steering committee, is focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers, where women only account for 27% of the workforce. In these fields, along with business and management, women in Wake County often earn 33% less than men in similar positions. The goal is to increase the number of women in the pipeline for higher-wage, higher-demand jobs in STEM-related fields and achieve pay equity.
Organizers of “Mind the Gap” reached out to members of Triangle Women in STEM to gather their perspectives on the issue. “It's your stories as women in STEM that we need to help close the wage gap,” said Dr. Kasey Ashton, Director of Wake Invests in Women.
Dr. Ashton and the Wake Invests in Women steering committee are working to develop specific tactics and strategies to close the wage and participation gaps between men and women. The group will be reaching out to other non-profits, businesses, and educators to partner on this county wide collective impact to address the issue. Dr. Ashton says the collaboration of organizations like Triangle Women in STEM is invaluable.
“We’re grateful for the insight we obtained from members of Triangle Women in STEM,” said Dr. Ashton. “We hope other organizations and individuals will join us on our mission to ultimately strengthen our local workforce.”
