Girl Tech offers mentoring

The Canadian Valley Technology Center program provides mentoring for women in male-dominated career studies.

 
BY BILL KRAMER | Published: November 17, 2012    Comment on this article Leave a comment

EL RENO — Haley Rader is having fun in the classroom.

Each week, she also benefits from professional tutelage in her chosen career field of information technology.

photo - Girl Tech students at Canadian Valley Technology Center are pictured with Oklahoma Career Information System for the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education Director Jo Kahn, left. Students are, from left, Taylor White, of Mustang; Hayley Rader, of Yukon; Marina Mason, of Calumet; Candis Ryczkowski, of Mustang; and Baylee Sowards, of Yukon. Shelli Chipman, Canadian Valley’s Girl Tech co-coordinator, is shown at right. Photo by Bill Kramer, for the Oklahoman
Girl Tech students at Canadian Valley Technology Center are pictured with Oklahoma Career Information System for the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education Director Jo Kahn, left. Students are, from left, Taylor White, of Mustang; Hayley Rader, of Yukon; Marina Mason, of Calumet; Candis Ryczkowski, of Mustang; and Baylee Sowards, of Yukon. Shelli Chipman, Canadian Valley’s Girl Tech co-coordinator, is shown at right. Photo by Bill Kramer, for the Oklahoman

Multimedia


It's a great program, especially for women who are enrolled in male-dominated programs. We have female mentors in the fields we have chosen. They give us good advice on how to get a good job.”

Haley Rader,
adult student at Canadian Valley Technology Center

An adult student at Canadian Valley Technology Center, Rader, 22, of Yukon, participates in a mentorship program called Girl Tech.

The program's mission is equipping students with skills to pursue careers in nontraditional areas such as information technology, science, research and engineering.

Program participants cultivate professional relationships with female mentors through online correspondence at least once each week.

“I've definitely had a lot of fun with it,” Rader said. “It's a great program, especially for women who are enrolled in male-dominated programs.

“We have female mentors in the fields we have chosen. They give us good advice on how to get a good job.”

Girl Tech students also participate in job shadowing and soft skills activities.

Nontraditional programs are those for which individuals from one gender comprise less than 25 percent of the individuals employed in each such occupation or field of work.

Rader said she is leaning toward a career in computers. She is enrolled in Computer Information Systems at Canadian Valley's El Reno Campus.

Canadian Valley is one of several metro-area participating technology centers. Francis Tuttle, Metro Tech and Gordon Cooper technology centers also have Girl Tech programs.

Bill Kramer is communications and marketing coordinator for Canadian Valley Technology Center.



If you prefer your thoughts to appear in The Oklahoman's Opinion section, we encourage you to submit a letter to the editor.

Ads by Yahoo!

Mortgage Rates Hit 2.50%
White House Program Cuts Up to $1k off Monthly Payments! (2.90% APR)
www.SeeRefinanceRates.com
New Rule in CALIFORNIA:
(APR 2013): If You Pay For Car Insurance You Must Read This Immediately
www.ConsumerFinanceDaily.com

News Photo Galleriesview all