Barbie’s new career path teaches kids about STEM and coding
Mattel released a new career path for the beloved doll that encourages kids, and especially girls, to become involved in the STEM field.
Barbie has been a role model for girls for many generations. After nearly 60 years, the famous doll has accumulated hundreds of new careers and constantly adds more to her resume. As time goes on, Mattel continues to add dolls that are more inclusive and diverse in body types, ethnicities, religions and professions.
Mattel’s latest release promotes the idea of encouraging more girls to become a part of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) field. Thus, we now have Barbie: Robotics Engineer. The new release was announced with a short video where several young girls reveal statistics about the current male to female ratio in the STEM field. Surprisingly, only 24 percent of STEM jobs are held by women.
In an interview with Glamour magazine, Barbie’s general manager and senior vice president Lisa McKnight says, “We wanted to shine a light on this underrepresented career and field for women… We felt that Barbie, with the platform that we have, was the perfect opportunity to do more in this space.”
Girls need more role models. Let’s inspire the next generation to see themselves in careers underrepresented by women. By encouraging more girls to explore STEM with Robotics Engineer #Barbie, we show them that they can be anything. https://t.co/kRIQ50Ox4Y #YouCanBeAnything pic.twitter.com/aqHFYqDQ6r
— Barbie (@Barbie) June 26, 2018
In true Barbie fashion, her clothes take an important role. This new Barbie dons casual and comfortable attire, much more suitable for this line of work. Donning a ponytail and a flat pair of shoes, this Barbie is ready to be hands-on in the world of robotics. McKnight also revealed that these Barbies will come in four different ethnicities including African-American, Asian, Caucasian, and Latina, so “as many girls as possible see themselves [in this doll].”
We’re all super excited about Barbie’s latest career path. Also, it’s safe to say that although some of us may be adults, a new purchase could be coming soon.