Girls Can Too! introduces young women to STEM careers

It's designed to encourage middle and high school girls to pursue careers in advanced manufacturing fields in Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ)- One program in the state is helping young girls explore jobs that they may not otherwise know about.

“Girls Can Too” is an initiative through Bluegrass Community and Technical College. It’s a three year program funded by the National Science Foundation grant.

It’s designed to encourage middle and high school girls to pursue careers in advanced manufacturing fields in Kentucky. BCTC leaders say the program focuses on introducing young girls to “STEM” careers in science and technology.

“Our goal is to get girls exposure and also to drive them towards dual credit classes they can take in high school that will help them when they graduate,” says Laura Lynch, the Girls Can, Too! Project Coordinator at Bluegrass Community and Technical College. “It will have them prepared for the opportunities that are available to them.”

The girls get to tour manufacturing industries- like Lexmark- and hear from women who were in their shoes to find out more about the jobs they do in manufacturing facilities. There is also a part of the program that parents take part in, including education sessions to help them learn about careers their daughters might take.

“Hopefully, they’ll be able to see that if we change our minds or we’ve done different things to be able change where we are today, that’s okay. And then the parents can help learn how to coach and mentor them as they go on this journey to discover what they want to be,” said Jeannetta Burbridge of Lexmark.

For more information about “Girls Can Too” click here.