Dec 03, 2016 08:56 AM EST By Jane Reed, UniversityHerald Reporter

Is a STEM background important for female leaders and professionals? This is a question that is being answered by the MPW Insiders Network.

The MPW Insiders Network is an online community where business leaders and experts offer career and leadership advice. Mars Chocolate president, Tracey Massey asked the question on STEM.

Is STEM really important for women? It certainly can make a difference and can dive women to the top, says these Fortune experts. Massey has worked for Mars Chocolate for the past 25 years and she often gets asked what it is like to work for a company that long and how she got to where she is right now.

Massey points out that STEM is essential. When it comes to her company, there are a ton of STEM related jobs. It includes job roles in engineering, chemistry, technology and more.

Massey is a graduate of Chemical Engineering. After getting her Bachelor of Science degree, she joined Mars Drinks as a part of their science and engineering production plant. Earlier in her career, she is already pursing a STEM path. In order for women to develop and become business leaders, they need to have a strong background in STEM.
Here are ways on how to achieve that:

1. Drive Innovation - Careers in STEM offer women a ton of opportunities when it comes to innovation. Promoting these opportunities can provide greater equality in women and in the same manner, help the business develop new products and services.

2. Strategically approaching problems. - Having a STEM background means that these professionals have a strong and methodical approach to solving problems. Having women on board provides a new perspective.

3. Women offer new perspectives. - And when it comes to perspective, women offer areas where most male researchers do not touch on. For example, when the airbags were invented, it took a female engineer to figure out how to protect all genders and children because body sizes where put into consideration.

Companies and professionals can promote female leadership and innovation by bringing in female STEM experts, according to Fortune. This is also a way to close the gender gap.

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