MasterCard Tips ‘Girls4Tech’ to Inspire Girls Pursue Careers in STEM

MasterCard has rolled out Girls4Tech, its signature education program to drive interest and encourage STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers among girls, in the UAE for the second year at the Emirates Foundation Think Science Fair 2016.

The annual event, held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of Emirates Foundation, is taking place from 17 to 19 April 2016 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Girls4Tech is a hands-on, inquiry-based program that connects the foundations of MasterCard’s business to STEM principles and shows students that it takes all kinds of interests and skills to pursue a STEM career.

The curriculum is based on global science and math standards and was created in conjunction with MasterCard’s top engineers and technologists. Students are invited to hone their skills at the three stations at the MasterCard stand: Smart Cities, Cryptology and Fraud Detection.

MasterCard employees – women and men alike – serve as mentors and role models as they guide participants through various exercises.

Last year, more than 1,000 students learned more about STEM principles at the Girls4Tech stand at the Fair.

“MasterCard believes that workplace diversity is critical in driving our business, and through initiatives like Girls4Tech, we are empowering and cultivating future leaders and technologists,” shares Jumanah Anter, Senior Vice President, Global Communications, MEA, MasterCard.

“While girls typically outpace boys in math in primary and secondary school levels, this often does not translate into careers in STEM, and that is why it is all the more important for us to share our passion for technology with girls who might not have considered or been exposed to these possibilities. It’s our mission to ensure that women across the region have an equal and fair opportunity to grow and prosper,” she added.

Launched in April 2014, more than 3,000 girls have participated in Girls4Tech workshops in nine countries, with more than 800 employees acting as mentors and role models.