In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of girls interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This rise in interest has been attributed to factors, including the way these fields are portrayed in the media, the increased accessibility of resources and opportunities, and the increasing number of women in leadership roles in STEM.

Despite these positive trends, there are still barriers that keep girls from pursuing careers in STEM. Three of the most common barriers are a lack of encouragement from parents and teachers, a lack of access to resources and equipment, and a lack of confidence in their abilities.

In order to overcome these barriers, educators and parents need to provide girls with encouragement and opportunities to try new things, provide access to resources and equipment, and boost their confidence in their abilities. Here are three strategies that can help to achieve these goals.

1. Encourage girls to take on new challenges
   One way to encourage girls to pursue careers in STEM is to give them opportunities to try new things. For example, if a girl is interested in robotics, she may be encouraged to participate in grassroots robotics competitions or to design and build her own robot. This kind of challenging and fun activity will help boost her confidence and encourage her to continue exploring the field.

2. Provide access to resources and equipment
   Another way to encourage girls to pursue careers in STEM is to make resources and equipment available to them. For example, if a girl wants to become a computer scientist, she may be encouraged to use computers in her school laboratories or participate in computer programming competitions. This kind of access to resources will help build her confidence and encourage her to continue exploring the field.

3. Boost their confidence in their abilities
   Finally, one way to encourage girls to pursue careers in STEM is to boost their confidence in their abilities. This can be done through programs that provide opportunities to work with professionals in the field through workshops that teach computer programming or robotics, or through mentorship programs.