Empowering Young Women: ePlus Launches GRIT Program for Future Tech Leaders

In a significant move to inspire and empower the next generation of female tech leaders, ePlus inc. has announced the launch of its 2025 GRIT program: Girls Re-Imagining Tomorrow. This initiative aims to provide middle and high school girls across the United States with invaluable experiences and opportunities in the fields of technology, particularly cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

Since its inception in 2017, the GRIT program has brought together nearly 500 young women from various states, reflecting ePlus's commitment to addressing the technology and cybersecurity gender gap. This year, over 100 girls from schools in California, Minnesota, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia are participating, ready to engage in transformative learning experiences.

At the heart of the GRIT initiative lies a robust mentoring framework designed to cultivate interest and skills in technology. The program encompasses workshops, hands-on projects, and direct interactions with industry professionals, enabling participants to grasp the extensive range of career paths available in technology. "The GRIT program helps to shine a light on many rewarding and meaningful technology careers available to women," said Mark Marron, CEO and President of ePlus. "With ongoing skills shortages and widening gender gaps across the industry, GRIT presents a tangible way to make technology accessible to young women."

Recent research has spotlighted a pressing issue: globally, women constitute less than a third of the workforce in technology-related areas, and only 35% of STEM workers in the U.S. are women. Such statistics underscore the pressing need for programs like GRIT, which actively work to ignite passion and confidence in young girls, guiding them toward fulfilling careers in technology.

Participants will not only gain technical skills but also learn to navigate their own career paths in a tech landscape that desperately needs their talents. The mentors involved in the program serve as role models, showcasing the impact women can have in the technology sector. The initiative thus plays a dual role: equipping future leaders with the necessary tools and resources while also demonstrating the importance of diversity in technology-related fields.

EPlus’s GRIT program illustrates a focused approach toward fostering a supportive environment where young women can learn, grow, and forge a connection with technology. The collaboration with Cisco, initiated when the program was launched, has proven crucial in creating an effective framework that addresses the specific challenges faced by women in tech fields. The ongoing partnership underscores a shared mission to cultivate a generation of tech-savvy women who will lead the industry forward.

By encouraging girls to pursue STEM education and careers, the GRIT program seeks to break down barriers and dispel stereotypes surrounding women in technology. Workshops planned for this year include coding challenges, cybersecurity simulations, and AI-focused projects designed to engage students and provide them with practical experience in various tech domains.

To learn more about the GRIT program or to see how you can get involved, visit the ePlus website. The effort to create a more inclusive tech landscape is just beginning, and initiatives like GRIT are key to unlocking the potential of young women across the country.

In conclusion, the ePlus GRIT program is not simply about teaching technology; it’s about building a community where young women can feel empowered to think big, engage with new ideas, and step boldly into their futures. Through education, mentorship, and unwavering support, ePlus and its partners are setting the stage for a brighter tomorrow, one where women in technology are the norm rather than the exception.