General Electric’s campus tour stops at Northeastern today

According to a white paper released by General Electric in February, women account for just 14 percent of engineers and 25 percent of information technology professionals in the U.S. today. Photo by iStock.

Calling all future engineers, entrepreneurs, and innovators: A group of General Electric employees will visit campus on Friday to discuss what it’s like to be a woman working in science, technology, engineering, and math.

The event is part of GE’s #BalanceTheEquation tour, which is stopping at seven college campuses across the country in an effort to promote its goal to bridge the STEM gender gap by 2020.

According to a white paper released by the multinational conglomerate in February, women account for just 14 percent of engineers and 25 percent of information technology professionals in the U.S. today.

“Despite key programs and public attention, STEM education is still not attracting enough female students,” said Maria Stein, associate vice president of cooperative education and career development at Northeastern. “This is an economic necessity,” she added. “Closing the gender gap could increase the gross domestic product by up to 10 percent and address the job skills-gap in the technical and engineering sectors.”

GE, one of Northeastern’s biggest co-op employers, will be on campus from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., stationed in a recreational vehicle on the Snell Library Quad. The all-day event will include a range of educational activities, including networking, speed mentoring, and career quizzes.

Here’s a more in-depth look at what’s available to the event’s attendees:

Outdoor lounge

Students will have the chance to network with GE employees in a casual, outdoor setting while learning more about career opportunities at the company.

Speed mentoring

If participants need career tips, some of GE’s top female leaders will be there to offer one-on-one advice while sharing stories of their experiences in the tech sector.

Get personal

Students will also have the opportunity to take a work personality quiz to find out how to best make use of their skills in the workplace.

LinkedIn photo booth

For those with outdated LinkedIn profile photos, have no fear: A professional photographer will be on hand to snap new ones.

Thinking, innovating

An interactive installation will help students discover their own thinking “style,” with a particular focus on how to leverage their individual assets in the their careers. For inspiration, they can take a digital tour of GE’s leading innovations of today and the women who helped bring them to life.