SANDY, Utah, March 1, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — With more than 4,000 open technology jobs in Utah and women representing only 23 percent of the state’s technology workforce, the Women Tech Council today launched SheTech Explorer Day. Drawing a record of 2,000 high school girls from across Utah, this day-long event activates, engages and inspires these girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through hands-on experience and mentoring.

Since launching in 2014, SheTech has motivated and inspired more than 12,000 girls throughout Utah to pursue STEM, some of whom are now enrolled in university STEM degrees seeking careers they first learned about at SheTech. After drawing increasing crowds year over year, the program’s record-high student and industry participation forced it to expand to the Mountain America Expo Center.

“After five years, SheTech is shifting the career trajectories of thousands of girls at a critical point in their lives to keep them in STEM,” said Cydni Tetro, president of Women Tech Council. “Helping these girls enter the talent pipeline and stay engaged has a direct impact on the growth of Utah’s economy, and is an essential part of helping advance the entire technology sector by better leveraging talent to create high performance environments.”

This year’s Explorer Day event paired girls with 700 mentors from 200 of Utah’s leading technology companies including Adobe, Ancestry, AT&T, Cox Automotive, Dell EMC, Ivanti and Vivint Smart Home. Together, they gave girls the opportunity to try STEM careers hands-on through activities such as robotics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, genetic testing, 3D printing and diamond cutting.

Beyond Explorer Day, SheTech helps girls remain engaged in STEM through providing them industry internships, connecting them with information about college scholarships and helping them find courses that match their interests in their school and district. This continual integration moves SheTech beyond programs that teach students skills by connecting them with meaningful and ongoing resources, support and mentoring to continue their path into STEM and help them succeed.

For more information about SheTech and Explorer Day, visit www.shetechexplorer.com.