Ivanka Trump, Education Secretary DeVos promote STEM careers
WASHINGTON — Ivanka Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday exhorted young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math, saying those fields will provide the jobs and innovation for the future.
Their tour of the National Air and Space Museum with a group of middle school students came as the Trump administration proposed further cuts to education and science, drawing harsh criticism from teachers’ unions and others.
Ivanka Trump, a successful entrepreneur who considers herself as a women’s rights activist, lamented that women make up 48 per cent of America’s work force but only 24 per cent of STEM professionals.
“This statistic is showing that we are sadly moving in the wrong direction. Women are increasingly underrepresented in important fields of science, technology, engineering and math,” Trump said. “But I dare you to beat these statistics and advance the role of women in STEM fields.”