1661889608544 Barbie

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Feb. 16, 2010

When I was a child growing up in the 1980’s, Barbie was a plastic reflection of the era. She wore neon hues, had huge shoulder pads, and wore sky-high heels to any occasion. She was too concerned with dating Ken and having girls’ night out with her sold-separately friends to worry about her future career. Those days are long gone.

When I was a child growing up in the 1980’s, Barbie was a plastic reflection of the era. She wore neon hues, had huge shoulder pads, and wore sky-high heels to any occasion. She was too concerned with dating Ken and having girls’ night out with her sold-separately friends to worry about her future career. Those days are long gone.

Over the years, Barbie has had over 120 careers that range from rock star to CEO. This year, Mattel hopes to inspire a new generation of girls to explore high-tech careers with the introduction of Computer Engineer Barbie. Computer Engineer Barbie, debuting in winter 2010, features a binary-code-patterned T-shirt and is equipped with all the latest gadgets, including a smart phone, a Bluetooth headset and a laptop travel bag.

“All the girls who imagine their futures through Barbie will learn that engineers — like girls — are free to explore infinite possibilities, limited only by their imagination,” says Nora Lin, President, Society of Women Engineers. “As a computer engineer, Barbie will show girls that women can turn their ideas into realities that have a direct and positive impact on people’s everyday lives in this exciting and rewarding career.”