Opportunities for Women in STEM: Society of Women Engineers

By Robyn Lam

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is currently the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for improvement for women in engineering and technology. They provide numerous opportunities for women who want to improve their skills in engineering and technology as well as creating a welcoming community for women.

SWE

SWE empowers women to succeed and thrive at every stage of their personal development and professional careers. They support the recruitment and advancement of women in engineering through networking opportunities and career resources.

About

SWE has provided women engineers with an inclusive, unique place and voice within the engineering industry. SWE wants their members to succeed and improve through the challenges and opportunities in today’s world of engineering and technology.

SWE continues to make a lasting impact on women and on the future of engineering and technology. They strive to empower women to achieve their full potential as a leader in their dream career. Additionally, SWE wants to expand and improve the image of the engineering and technology profession as a positive force that improves the quality of life while demonstrating the importance of diversity and inclusion.

Programs

SWE offers a multitude of programs for women to participate in such as SWE Learning, Academic Leadership for Women in Engineering (ALWE), and SWE Executive Leadership Program (eXXec). They all provide opportunities for women in engineering to grow and become amazing leaders in the world of engineering and technology.

SWE Learning provides women access to a collection of content developed from professionals. New courses are constantly being developed based on learning needs and they are available for whenever your schedule allows. Some learning paths include Learning Fundamentals, Job Seeking & Career Transitions, and Project Management Skills.

Academic Leadership for Women in Engineering (ALWE) encourages and improves the growing need for more women in academic leadership positions in engineering. AWLE fosters the professional growth of women in academia and provides female academics in engineering with tangible skills and knowledge needed to pursue, succeed, and maintain institutional leadership positions in the future. ALWE also provides women with the skills and opportunities to help them grow as leaders.

SWE Executive Learning Program (eXXec) empowers engineers to encourage change within organizations through a holistic approach to professional development. Through eXXec, you can meet a new network of executives, develop your skills and strategies, learn from global executive subject-matter experts, measure your own abilities, and opportunities continue even after the event.

SWENext

SWENext provides a multitude of opportunities such as programs and support groups to encourage students and help them grow to become a strong, confident engineer.

About

SWENext provides opportunities for students through the age of 18 to become a part of the SWE engineering and technology community. SWENext provides students with access to programs, mentors, and resources to develop their leadership skills and self-confidence.

Programs

SWENext provides many programs for students to join to help them grow as an aspiring engineer.

SWENext High School Leadership Academy (SHLA) is a virtual year-round program that builds self-confidence and resilience among pre-college students who want to pursue engineering and technology degrees in the future. Multiple opportunities are presented to such students through a large network of peers, mentors, role models, and industry professionals. The program develops leadership skills, prepares students for college, allows students to explore different STEM pathways, allows self-development within each individual, and brings a sense of inclusion and belonging to every student.

SWENext Influencer is a student leader who is interested in STEM and wants to:

• Share STEM and leadership knowledge and experience with other students and SWENexters

• Recruit new students into the SWENext program

• Moderate and/or host speaking engagements

• Create content for social media on SWE/SWENext media platforms

SWE Advance

SWE Advance is the Advance Learning Center which provides programs to empower women to succeed at every stage of their development.

About

SWE offers programs that cover a diverse set of subjects from a variety of leaders in STEM. Courses can be completed and SWE offers a variety of learning modalities such as live webinars, eLearning courses, on-demand webinars, and more!

Programs

SWE Advance provides a multitude of programs for women to participate in such as:

• Advocacy & Outreach

• Career Management & Development

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

• Technical Innovations

• Special Programs

• Self-Management & Development

These programs allow women to grow and expand their leadership and technical skills. Additionally, it introduces women to a growing, welcoming community where everyone is supportive.