From Hollywood to politics to corporate America, the need for more females in leadership positions is more evident than ever. It's astonishing that across the world only 20 percent of all leadership positions are held by women. In many fields, this is caused by a lack of females in the employee pool to begin with.
Take science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), for example. In North Texas, women only hold 23 percent of all STEM jobs, and that's higher than the average. As a woman in technology and a mother of two daughters, I find that percentage particularly concerning.
We need more women at the table — designing, analyzing, and making decisions about the products they purchase and use on a daily basis. From medical research to technology innovation, it is essential that we collectively work as a business, nonprofit and education community to encourage young women through the STEM pipeline and to develop them as leaders.
While gender stereotypes are beginning to shift, a bias still exists. In order for our workforce to be successful, we need confident young women who can articulate their thoughts, challenge norms, stand up for themselves and others and not back down from tough tasks.
My STEM degree is the first thing I list when asked how I got to the position I am in today. But I think my path through a progressive career in the technology industry started long before college.
Though I didn't realize it at the time, the skills my fellow Girl Scout troop members and I were learning would guide us far beyond our time together. I look back fondly at my camper badge, where my troop camped near the Mississippi River in Tennessee. It taught me how to be respectful of the environment and how to live outside without the normal comforts of life. These lessons influence me in my role in overseeing the AT&T's network and field operations and our relationship with the environment.
For the past 106 years, the Girl Scout Leadership Experience has taught about science, engineering, business, entrepreneurship, math, technology and civic engagement. More importantly, however, is how the mastery of these skills instills confidence in participants, myself included. From six years of Girl Scouts, I learned that I could create my own personal definition of success.
I have a front row seat for the rapidly changing technology landscape in my current position with AT&T. Therefore, I'm amazed at how the Girl Scout programming has expanded to meet the technology demands that girls face. By fostering robotic teams to teaching girls, developing antibiotics and opening of the STEM Center of Excellence later this spring, Girl Scouts is preparing our girls for success.
I believe my time as a Girl Scout helped me find my personal passions, learn to take smart risks, work hard and instill key leadership traits that are part of my career today. The Girl Scouts environment allows girls to think big and gives them the necessary tools and abilities to change the world.
This year, there are more than 25,000 active Girl Scouts in Northeast Texas. They are 25,000 future mathematicians, engineers, project managers and problem-solvers who are learning the skills they will need to help diversify not only the STEM pipeline and industry, but also the entire business community.
Melissa Arnoldi is president of technology and operations at AT&T and a board member for Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. She wrote this column for The Dallas Morning News.
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