Evaluation of the "Engineer Your Life" Initiative

Abstract

The Engineer Your Life (EYL) project is a national initiative to encourage college-bound young women to consider pursuing a degree and a career in engineering.& The project aims to communicate to young women the societal value and rewards of being an engineer, rather than the traditional emphasis on the process of becoming an engineer.& Target audiences include academically prepared high school girls, career counselors, and professional engineers.& Evaluation data were collected in Year 1 and Year 2 of the EYL initiative to assess its impact. &We found that young women were especially interested in engineering when they had a fuller understanding of the skills that are required to be a successful engineer–skills that are not traditionally associated with the field, such as writing and people skills, imagination and creativity.& We also found evidence that the EYL initiative has had a significant and positive impact on members of its target population who have used EYL resources.&

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