The Power of Partners Helping students find their way to high tech careers

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The Power of PartnersHelping students find their
way to high tech careers

• Welcome Parents!
• Please find a seat greet your colleagues

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Objectives

• Increase awareness of the Appalachian
  Information Technology Extension Services (AITES)
  project.
• Identify hopes, dreams, talents, and skills of
  daughters or any young female.
• View and apply Power of Partners.
• Gain information on importance of your role in
  the decision-making process in choosing a career.
• Learn facts about Information Technology (IT)
  jobs.

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What percentage of the U.S. Information
Technology Workforce do you think is made up of
women?
Choices

• 65
• 45
• 27
• 25

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Only 25 of the IT workforce in the United States
is made up of women. This is down 39 since 1980.
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We have a Problem

• There is a Talent Crisis in the U.S. Information
  Technology (IT) industry.
• Gender stereotypes and lack of knowledge about
  IT jobs are preventing young women from choosing
  IT careers.

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Why is this important?
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Golden Opportunities

• Influx of IT industry into rural areas
• Job availability in Appalachian Counties
• Workforce demands exceed supply
• Economic development is needed
• Females are an untapped source of IT workers
• Students are influenced by supporters such as
  teachers, counselors, and parents in making
  career decisions.

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Jobs in Your Communities

• There are jobs requiring IT skills in this
  community
• These jobs may go unfilled because not enough
  young people are prepared or encouraged to seek
  an IT job

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Train the Trainer Model for Stokers
Thirty Two Girls or More!
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(No Transcript)
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Theory behind the Power of Partners
Stokers such as Teachers Counselors
Administration Pump and stoke fuel to move
forward ..Supporting on the way
Girls ride on front, steer, drive, and make
decisions about the course of their career journey
The theory behind the goals of the AITES Grant is
that girls often get stereotyped messages or
insufficient information about jobs and careers
from their support system (teachers, parents,
school counselors, etc).
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AITES Challenges You To

• Consider the talent crisis in IT in the United
  States
• Consider that IT jobs are available in almost
  every aspect of business, industry and government
• Consider reasons for the low percent of women who
  work in IT fields (25)
• Consider the barriers young women face when
  considering IT fields such as lack of
  encouragement from stokers, lack of knowledge
  about the breadth of IT jobs, and gender
  stereotypes

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Know Your Daughters

• Using Handout 1
• Write down hopes and dreams for your daughter or
  any young girls future success in school and
  future jobs. Circle one thing you hope for the
  most.
• (2 min)
• Write down some traits, skills, attitudes, and
  talents that describe your daughter.
• What ideas do you have in common?
• (3 min)

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Important Roles for Stokers

• As stokers, parents play a crucial role in the
  career decision making process of your daughter.
• Building trust is most important, as is good
  listening.
• To build trust
• Let her know you have confidence in her ability
  to make good decisions.
• Tell her you care and ask how you can help.
• Listen fully to what she says.

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The Power of Partners DVD Helping Females Find
Their Way to High Tech Careers

• As you watch the DVD, look listen for
• Phrases and Key words that the partners or
  stokers used to communicate with young women
• Actions partners might take to discover girls
  skills and talents and promote interest in IT
• What are some key words and actions you saw and
  heard stokers use on the video?

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Learning the Decision Making Process

• Identify goals a timeline for decision.
• Determine what information is needed.
• Set limits.
• Brainstorm possible options and evaluate each
  based on your values.
• Make a decision, outline a plan, and implement
  it.

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Effective Practical Life Decisions

• Are based on credible information
• Are made after considering multiple viewpoints
  and options.
• Are consistent with one's beliefs, values, and
  identity.

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Support for Decision Making

• Acknowledge that most practical life decisions
  do not have a single right answer.
• Support the process but allow your daughter to
  take the lead in the decision making.
• Encourage exploration of multiple information
  sources and multiple viewpoints.
• Take time to listen and help clarify what is
  important to your daughter and what she is good
  at.
• Link these job interests.

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How To Categorize IT Jobs

• Creators
• Those who imagine, design, build, and test
  technology products and processes
• Maintainers
• Those who install, upgrade, troubleshoot computer
  hardware and software
• Supporters
• Those who work in non-technical roles vital to IT
  field, such as sales, training, finance, and law.
• Management
• Those who oversee IT personnel and are
  responsible for decision-making related to IT
  resources and strategies

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Creators
Job Title Educational Prep Local Employers
Software developer AAS Information Systems Technology BS Comp Sci, IT
Web developer AAS Info Sys Tech, BS Comp Sci
Software Engineer AAS, B.S. Software Engineering
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Maintainers
Job Title Educational Prep Local Employers
Database Administrator Certifications, AAS
Systems Analyst AAS Mgmt Info Sys, BS Comp Sci, MIS/BIS
Network Administrator Certifications, AAS, BS MIS/BIS
Help Desk Certifications, AAS
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Supporters
Job Title Educational Prep Local Employers
Trainers Assoc Arts Sci, BA, MA in Education
Systems Integrators Certifications, AAS
Marketing AAS, BS Business
Instructional Technologists MA Education
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Management
Job Title Educational Prep Local Employers
IT Call Center Director B.S., M.S., BIS/MIS
Chief Technology Officer M.S., Ph.D., BIS/MIS, Comp Sci, Education
Middle Management BS, M.S. MIS/BIS
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IT Jobs Activity

• Using Handout 3
• Read about the IT job assigned to your group
• Discuss the nature of the job.
• Guided Questions
• What requirements would be appealing to your
  daughter?
• Be specific Salary? Interactions with others?
  Purpose of the work?
• How would the work style requirements of IT jobs
  fit your daughter?
• Write ideas on Handout 1 under IT Careers- a
  fit

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Action Steps for Stokers

• What could you do immediately to encourage you
  daughter to practice the decision-making steps as
  she considers jobs and careers?
• What are some things you could do or say to
  challenge and support young females to consider
  all information as she thinks about jobs and
  careers
• Write these ideas in Action Plan space on Handout
  1
• Circle one thing you will commit to doing very
  soon!