Saturday, March 6, 2010, from 9 am to 2:30 pm, the 4th Annual Women’s Conference on Non-Traditional Careers will be held at McDowell Hall, on the campus of American University (4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016).

With the theme “STEM Towards the Future,” the conference will offer young women in grades 8 through the first year of college an opportunity to explore a broad range of exciting non-traditional careers, in high skills, high wage, and high growth sectors of the emerging innovation economy.

The conference is free, but pre-registration is required. View details and the online registration form. 

Organized by the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), the 2010 Young Women’s Conference will feature interactive workshops and exhibits, plus presentations by leading women in a wide variety of fields not traditionally open to women—particularly science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but also manufacturing, skilled trades, business and industry, and others.

Approximately 150 middle school and high school students from public and public charter schools are expected to participate, as well as first-year students from the Community College of DC, the University of DC, American University, and other colleges and universities.

A primary goal of the event is to raise the awareness of young women in the District of the growing opportunities for women in the regional, national, and global labor markets, as well as to reinforce the idea that both academic and technical skills—and both a high school diploma and a postsecondary credential—are essential keys to survival and success in today’s challenging economy.

2010 Young Women’s Conference on Non-Traditional Careers

Five interactive, 30-minute workshops on careers in science, engineering, technology, skill trades, and robotics will be offered, and each participant will have the opportunity to attend all five. The conference Expo will feature exhibits by national and regional representatives of businesses, industries, unions, trade associations, public agencies, and colleges and universities.

Ample opportunities will be provided for networking with successful women role models in non-traditional career fields, from rocket science to biotechnology to construction. Full details will be provided on the academic, certification and licensing requirements of 21st century careers.

Specific highlights of the conference will include:

• A keynote address by Raelene M. Sanders, SE Network Engineer/Program Manager for Microsoft;
  Interacting with robots and their creators;
• Presentations by successful women in the skilled trades, including Certified Electricians, Plumbers, and members of IBEW and the Iron Workers;
• Interactive workshops led by women leaders in non-traditional STEM careers;
• Information on secondary and postsecondary  mentoring and scholarship opportunities;
• An Expo/Exhibit Session featuring representatives of the national and regional business and industry sectors, skilled trades, unions, public and private agencies and organizations, and two-year and four-year colleges and universities;
• Breakfast, lunch and door prizes.

2010 Conference Co-Sponsors and Planning Committee Members include: American Federation of Teachers (AFT); American University – Women’s Initiative; Jobs for America’s Graduates—DC (JAG—DC); DC NASA Space Grant Consortium; DCPS Office of Department of Guidance and Counseling; Microsoft; Washington Teachers Union (WTU)

The conference is free, but preregistration is required. View this link to register:

For more information please contact your school counselor, or: Julia A. Martas, State Civil Rights & Gender Equity Coordinator, State Office of Career & Technical Education, Office of the State Superintendent of Education, (202) 279-0561; [email protected]