‘Close that gap’: Uptown event introduces hundreds of girls to careers in STEM

CHARLOTTE — Hundreds of eighth through 12th grade girls from 12 Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools got a chance to explore careers in STEM at InnovateHER in Uptown Charlotte.

The event, which is hosted by the city, was held at the Spectrum Center Wednesday morning.

“There’s a whole lot of really cool people here, so networking is a nice thing but also learning about different companies, different people and their stories,” student Tenisi Bropleh said.

Lindsay McCleary, the deputy director of innovation and tech with the City of Charlotte, says it’s about sparking curiosity.

“We want to get them excited and exposed to different career that without an event like this they may not have an opportunity to experience,” she told Channel 9’s Miana Massey.

Throughout the day, students experienced an exploration fair, a speaker series and hands-on experiments, helping connect their interests to possible careers.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women remain largely underrepresented in STEM fields. As Charlotte continues to grow, it’s something the city wants to help address early.

“We want to change that, and we want to do our part to get out there and make sure that our community is more represented to close that gap of girls in technology careers,” McCleary said.

For students, having that opportunity matters.

“It’s important everyone has the resources to get to do the things they love,” one student, Constance Permenter, said.

The city hopes to host this event for years to come, encouraging more girls to pursue careers in STEM.