Did You Know?

Did you know that the NCWIT Scorecard isn’t just a set of statistics on girls, women, computing, and IT; it also provides a terrific explanation for why women’s participation matters? Did you know that the Scorecard gives you tips for how you can make a difference, and is available in multiple easy-to-use formats?
Designed as a “status report on women in information technology,” the NCWIT Scorecard is the most comprehensive report to-date on female participation in IT and computing. National data tell the story through chapters on Secondary Education, Post-Secondary Education, the Workforce, Entrepreneurship, and Thought Leadership, and provide metrics for benchmarking progress. Along the way, NCWIT provides recommendations for how you can “Make a Difference” by engaging in activities shown to be effective at reaching out, recruiting, retaining, encouraging, and advancing women. 
But the report also makes the case for “Why Gender Diversity i s Important in Computing,” and “Why Computing Is a Good Career for Women.” If you’ve ever wanted a concise set of words to explain why NCWIT exists and why this issue matters in the first place, you’ll find it here. 
To give you the ease and freedom of using the NCWIT Scorecard in a variety of ways, we’ve made it available to you in a variety of formats. Use the easy, web-based eZine version as a reference guide. Share the link to the Flash “preview” version with your colleagues so they know why you’re concerned about this issue. Download selected PowerPoint chapters for access to scripted text and compelling jpeg charts, so that you can make the case for changes within your own organization. Need some printed copies? We’ve got them and we’re pleased to make the Scorecard available for free. 
If you haven’t yet familiarized yourself with the NCWIT Scorecard, pour yourself a glass of lemonade and dig in. We’re excited to share this tool with you and hope it will empower you to go out and share it with others, too.