Traditional workforce planning, based primarily on job titles and static role definitions, no longer provides the clarity organizations need. Shifting to skills-based strategies allows organizations to make hiring, mobility, and development decisions based on capability rather than job title. Historically, workforce planning has focused on roles and headcount. HR teams would forecast how many positions were needed in each department and match them to the skills they believed were required. While this provides a high-level view of staffing needs, it misses the real complexity of how work gets done. For example, a “Marketing Operations Manager” and a “Sales Enablement Specialist” might both spend most of their time building workflows in the same CRM system, analyzing pipeline data, and optimizing campaigns – yet appear to be doing unrelated work in most HR systems. Without task-level visibility, that overlapping work – and those shared capabilities – stay hidden, leading to duplicated effort and cost, as well as missed opportunities to pool expertise or redeploy talent. This also prevents leaders from understanding where automation or AI could free up capacity – or where new skills will be needed as work evolves. Traditional planning treats the workforce as a static set of roles, unlike task-level intelligence, which treats it as a dynamic system of work in motion.

Representing SWE’s highest level of awards, the APEX Awards honor individuals with 20+ years of professional experience, which celebrates high levels of achievement among those who identify as women and allies at all career stages in engineering, engineering technology, or science related to engineering. This year’s award recipients include several brilliant minds in STEM. Watch their conversations here and wait till the end for a fun rapid fire round which award recipients enjoyed, and we hope you will too.

What if chemists borrowed a page from celebrity chefs—their mastery of human-centered storytelling that wins over the public’s palate? AWIS member Savanah Saldaña-Shumaker offers this idea as a way to connect with the public.

A little known part of grant funding, indirect research costs are essential costs such as facilities, equipment, and personnel. The JAG Model is a new approach to increase transparency, accountability, and clarity in federal research funding.

Equip yourself with the tools to empower the next generation of tech leaders – like the NCWITC4C Resource Booklet. This comprehensive guide is full of information, resources, and actionable steps counselors and educators can use to support students as they explore CS and careers, like: Which Computing Pathway is Right for Me; Plentiful Jobs, High Starting Salaries and Opportunities in Every Industry; Top 10 Ways CS Educators Can Engage School Counselors; Community College, Military, and University Pathways to IT and Computing Careers. Computer Science underlies many other fields and disciplines and by understanding the intersection of CSed with other industries, we can best equip today’s youth for educational pathways to sustainable careers!

Since 1950, SWE has continued its support of the next generation of engineers and innovators. Now, you have the opportunity to continue that legacy. The SWE Legacy Endowed Scholarship provides essential financial support to students pursuing degrees in engineering, technology, and computer science. Your contribution doesn’t just fund a scholarship—it opens doors, creates opportunities, and helps future engineers thrive. Every donation ensures that talented students have the resources they need to succeed. Join us in making education more accessible and shaping the future of engineering.

Only 22% of cybersecurity professionals are women. Girls belong in cybersecurity, but too often, misconceptions and missed opportunities keep them out of the field. In our new report, Breaking Barriers: Girls and the Future of Cybersecurity, we surveyed over 2,000 participants to find out what drives girls’ interest in cybersecurity, and what barriers are holding them back.Let’s build a future where girls can lead in protecting our digital world. Check out the full report to learn how together we can spark girls’ curiosity, confidence, and belonging in the field.

The recent cuts to federal research funding have derailed the work of many AWIS members – particularly those early in their careers and those focused on broadening participation within the scientific workforce. We want to help retain valuable scientists, their promising research, and the progress we’ve made on equity in the scientific workforce. Thanks to a $100,000 grant provided by Every Page Foundation, we are offering microgrants to help AWIS members who have lost funding reach their next milestone. Every Page Foundation works to advance gender equity by prioritizing the health and security of women and girls, as well as their educational opportunities and career development. We are so very grateful for their support. The AWIS Bridge Grant program will offer microgrants to AWIS members who have lost federal research funding and who are: assistant professors or nontenured faculty or tenured professors seeking to support their trainees. Applicants must provide verification of original federal grant funding revocation and a narrative statement highlighting the impact the grant would have. Applicants may request up to $5,000 USD which may cover essential expenses such as stipends, travel, publication fees, materials, or other impactful grant related items.

The construction industry has traditionally been a space where women have to carve out their own place, sometimes with grit, often with grace, and always with determination. From jobsites to boardrooms, they’re pushing boundaries, creating inclusive cultures, and leading with vision. Sophia Gaines Mitchell, procurement manager at Turner, and Candiece Wilson, project executive at Turner, share how women leaders are driving meaningful change. Their experiences reflect a common truth that leadership is not defined by title or tradition, but rather by action, purpose, and persistence.

Each year, the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) program receives thousands of amazing award applications from eligible students across the country who are interested in tech. To select the national and regional award recipients, volunteers of all experience levels are needed to review and score each submission. It’s a simple and inspiring way to help identify and shape the future leaders within computing, technology, and STEM fields! Volunteer reviewers are crucial in recognizing and encouraging current students, as well as their educators and mentors. Volunteering as a reviewer is a rewarding and convenient way to: Uplift inspiring students who are the future of tech, Help build a supportive #AiCcommunity that celebrates achievements and encourages persistence, Get involved online from anywhere, at your own pace, Volunteers who complete 20 or more reviews will also receive a certificate - a wonderful addition to your professional portfolio!