Women working full time in the United States typically are paid just 79 percent of what white men are paid, a gap of 21 percent. And it's even worse for women of color. The Start Smart workshops offered by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) are designed to empower young women with the skills and confidence to successfully negotiate their salary and benefits for the jobs they want after they graduate. A Start Smart workshop led by a trained facilitator will be offered as a Skill Builder from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Nov. 6, in the Brule/Cadillac Rooms of the University Center.

Participants will learn about salary resources that they can use and have an opportunity to apply what they learn in a highly engaging role-playing exercise. By learning strategies and practicing effective language, participants gain valuable skills they can use throughout their lives. The workshop teaches young women how to determine what employers are paying for the job they want when they graduate and how to negotiate to be paid what they are worth for doing that job.

Kerri Sleeman, facilities management executive director at Michigan Tech, will lead the worskhop, which is sponsored by the AAUW-Marquette Chapter and NMU President’s Gender Work Group. For more information, or to register, visit nmu.edu/skillbuilders.