Dana Skovrinskie

Volvo Group is hosting a digital forum open to the public October 26 called #tecHER that is aimed at empowering women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

The interactive, online event will give attendees a chance to network and meet role models in STEM careers, which have a large gender imbalance. Speakers include representatives from several global companies, including Volvo Group, Colgate-Palmolive, EY, Sandvik Group, Schneider Electric, Starburst Aerospace, Universal Music and Walmart.

Volvo Construction Equipment is hosting a #tecHER watch party at its Shippensburg, Pa., campus for employees and invited local high school and college students, teachers and career counselors to attend. The forum also will be live online and available for replay afterwards.

#tecHER events are one of the ways Volvo Group is addressing workplace diversity. Research shows that groups with diverse perspectives and flexibility in thinking almost always outperform homogeneous groups and lead to higher levels of creativity, innovation and organizational agility, yet STEM fields are male dominated.

Globally, women represent 28 percent of engineering graduates and less than 33 percent of tech sector employees. In the United States, women make up 48 percent of the workforce but only 27 percent of STEM workers.

"Technology continues to force industries to adapt and transform, and in order to successfully transform you need a diverse workforce with people who can bring different perspectives to tackle and solve problems," said Dana Skovrinskie, head of Industrial Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering, Volvo Construction Equipment, Shippensburg.

"We know manufacturing and technology have less diversity than other industries. Increased female representation will help bring in new individuals who may currently not be interested in the construction equipment industry, but whose talents will benefit us all in the future."

To register for the virtual #tecHER forum, visit www.volvogroup.com/en/careers/working-at-volvo-group/diversity-inclusion-stories/techer.html#reg.

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