By April Pelfrey
While the 21st century has fostered immense technological innovation and rapid shifts in workplace dynamics, STEM careers still fail to proportionally represent women and minorities. Women compose 46.8% of the labor force in the United States (Department of Labor, 2024), yet occupy merely 27% of STEM positions (Martinez and Christnacht, 2021). Meanwhile, African Americans hold 11% of American jobs but a mere 9% of STEM occupations. The statistics worsen for Latino employees, who are 17% of the United States’ workforce but fill only 8% of STEM roles (Pew Research Center, 2021). This disparity highlights a critical opportunity: providing young females and minority students with access to computer science education and fostering early awareness of the vast career potential in these fields. Teaching students that computer science extends beyond creating functions and loops within a programming language enables them to grasp the real-world applications of these skills, which can lead to long-term career possibilities.
Introducing computational thinking and computer science concepts at a younger age opens a wide range of opportunities for students, particularly those who may not have otherwise been exposed to these fields. Early engagement with coding and STEM concepts, coupled with mentorship, creates pathways that encourage a diverse range of students to explore careers within technology. The more we expose students to the STEM career field, the more we cultivate a generation of innovators from underrepresented groups.
As educators, we are well aware of the data and the speeches. We frequently hear about the challenges, and many of us have given similar speeches ourselves. Despite the awareness, there is a need for action to increase opportunities for all students in STEM. Today, more than ever, we must ensure our students understand that they belong in these spaces. One of the most powerful tools we have as educators is the ability to build and connect our students to diverse networks of professionals. Creating mentorship opportunities and facilitating connections with people who look like the students in our classrooms is crucial to encouraging a more inclusive STEM environment.
Building a Diverse Network
Technology is evolving rapidly, and to keep career pathways relevant to our students, we must continuously adapt. However, we don’t have to navigate this alone. Throughout my career, I have learned the value of building a strong, trustworthy network—one that includes mentors, role models, and advocates. This network can play a vital role in guiding our students toward the careers they dream of. Relationship-building is not just about friendships; it’s about creating a system of support that makes both educators and students better informed.
While it can be overwhelming to consider adding another task to an already packed schedule, building a professional network is something that can grow organically over time. It’s not a process that will yield immediate results, but the more intentional effort we put into it, the stronger and more beneficial our network becomes. As we build these connections, we empower our students with the knowledge that they are not alone and that there are people who look like them in the fields they aspire to enter.
An essential component of this network includes industry professionals who are actively shaping new technologies and career opportunities. These are women and minorities in fields that our students may not yet know exist, and they can offer insight into career paths our students may not have considered. While it may seem daunting to reach out to business partners, there are several simple steps you can take to connect your students with industry professionals who will expand their horizons.
Creating Real-World Connections
One of the most impactful strategies I’ve employed in my teaching career is connecting students with industry professionals. This connection is invaluable in showing students how the skills they are learning in the classroom translate into real-world applications. One of my favorite methods for fostering these connections is hosting webinar events featuring real professionals from the industry. This practice began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when we were teaching students both in-person and remotely, and it allowed me to bring guest speakers into my virtual classroom without the logistical challenges of scheduling in-person visits.
I started by reaching out to professionals on LinkedIn, introducing myself and my school, and inviting them to participate in a Zoom panel to share their career paths and experiences with my students. While the worst-case scenario was that I would not hear back, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of women and minorities eager to volunteer their time to talk to students. These events quickly became easier to organize as I built a network of professionals who wanted to give back and inspire the next generation.
Using LinkedIn and Social Media to Build Your Network
Building your professional network starts with platforms like LinkedIn, where you can connect with individuals who share your passion for mentorship and education. Joining organizations like NCWIT, Women in Cyber, and Women in STEM is another great way to build a network of women and minorities in technology fields. Social media can also be a powerful tool to expand your network, though it is not essential if you prefer to focus on more traditional platforms. The key is to reach out and connect with those who are willing to help students, regardless of their background or experience.
These connections not only benefit students, but they also expand our understanding of emerging technologies and career opportunities. By leveraging our networks, we can continuously provide students with relevant, up-to-date information on the STEM careers they may pursue. Students need to see that these opportunities are real and attainable, and that it is perfectly acceptable for career paths to evolve over time.
Starting Small: Hosting Career Panels
One of the easiest and most impactful ways to connect students with industry professionals is through career panels. Whether you host a session for your class, an after-school club like Girls Who Code, or a larger school-wide event, career panels are a great way to expose students to a variety of career paths. While five panelists may be the ideal number for an hour-long session, the goal is to create an interactive conversation where students feel comfortable engaging with the panelists and learning about their career journeys.
To ensure a successful panel, be sure to provide panelists with a set of questions in advance. This will allow them to prepare thoughtful responses and ensure the conversation stays on track. Questions should cover topics like their career path, educational background, and advice for students interested in pursuing similar careers. As a teacher, you can also tailor the event to your specific class or student interests, such as focusing on careers in cybersecurity or technology innovation.
Empowering Students for the Future
Whether you host a career panel for a class or an after-school club, the goal is to introduce students to professionals who are already working in the fields they are interested in. As students hear firsthand from those who have walked the same path they are on, they begin to see that these careers are within their reach. In my experience, these webinars not only inspire students but also foster meaningful connections between students and industry professionals who are eager to mentor the next generation.
By taking the time to build a diverse network of industry professionals, we help our students see that they belong in the world of STEM, and we provide them with the resources to reach for their dreams. The younger we introduce students to these opportunities, the longer they have to envision a future in these careers, and the more they will believe that they, too, can succeed in the fields they are passionate about.
The key takeaway is simple: mentorship and connections are crucial to helping our students navigate their future careers. By fostering these connections, we can build a more diverse and inclusive workforce that will continue to shape the future of technology.
About the Author
April Pelfrey is a Cybersecurity educator at Innovation Academy within Fulton County Public Schools, bringing over eight years of teaching experience from Gwinnett County Public Schools. As a second-career teacher, she draws from 15 years as a Department of Defense contractor specializing in geospatial intelligence. April is deeply committed to creating equitable opportunities in computer science education for all students. In the summer of 2023, she furthered this mission by teaching computer science and robotics in Tanzania through the Fulbright Fellowship. A graduate of the University of Georgia, April holds a master’s degree in Workforce Education and is dedicated to fostering inclusive learning environments that empower the next generation of technology leaders.
