An Exploration of Anchoring Female Millennial Students to an IS/IT Career Path: The CLASS Model

Abstract

There has been much research conducted on the under-representation of women in Science, Technology, and Engineering & Math (STEM). Looking specifically at the area of Information Systems and Information Technology (IS/IT), women are largely under-represented in degree programs and the workforce. With the growth in the IS/IT workforce and the future demands of IS/IT career growth, the importance of understanding the perceptions and influences on the female IS/IT students grows. While there is research investigating the demographics of the IS/IT workforce, the relationship between female students and millennial influences has not been investigated. \ \ This research contends that addressing the demographic influences on the large generation entering the workforce will provide advantages to research and practice. Following an analysis of qualitative data, collected in a Midwestern university using surveys, this research explains the perceptions of female millennial students interacting with the IS/IT educational experience and career pursuits. The CLASS (Competencies, Life System, Accomplishments, Service & Security) model which illustrates how female students motivations affect the pursuit of an IS/IT education and career is introduced and discussed. Contributions to research and practice are presented.