Right now, the tech industry is overwhelmingly male, with only 26% female representation. And if it stays this way, there simply won’t be enough people to fill the 4.4 million tech jobs that will be created in the U.S. by 2024 But there are thousands of capable women who, with the right education and skills, could fill these positions.

This presents a perfect opportunity to invite women to consider a career in tech. We need women to step in, fill these well-paying jobs, and bring fresh thinking and a new perspective to an industry that thrives on innovation.

There was another time in history when women were needed to fill open positions in a male-dominated industry. During WWII, Rosie the Riveter became an iconic figure who motivated millions of American women to enter the manufacturing workforce. Today, Rosie’s “We Can Do It” inspires modern women into taking on the male-dominated Information Technology industry. Only this time, it’s “We Can Do IT”.

It began with the revival of a strong female character who once inspired women to enter manufacturing – another traditionally male-dominated industry – back in the 1940s. University of Phoenix rebooted the iconic “Rosie the Riveter” campaign for the modern day, in an effort to inspire women to pursue careers in tech.

The animated short brings Rosie the Riveter into the 21st century with the story of “Rosa,” a single mom who loses her manufacturing job to automation. Inspired by her Rosie the Riveter poster, she goes back to school and starts a new career in IT (Information Technology). She rises above her circumstances by choosing to adapt.

The animated film launched the campaign on national broadcast and online and was supported with sponsored editorial on tech sites featuring real female graduates working in tech as role models. The university joined forces with Pepsi to implement a “Million Women Mentors Program” to help reduce the gender gap in STEM and tech fields. 48 top female students from the University’s College of Information Systems and Technology were paired with PepsiCo IT leaders to receive 20 hours of career advice and resources.

The film received over 21 million views and the campaign caused a 371% lift in search traffic, the highest branded search lift for an educational advertiser to date. Closing the gender gap in tech will be an ongoing effort. It’s too soon to see major, concrete results in terms of jobs filled in the industry. However, social listening on University of Phoenix platforms, increased web site visits and requests for information for the IS&T school shows that the campaign made an impact and inspired interest. Motivating women to ask questions and consider a new career path in tech.

Since the majority of University of Phoenix graduates are women, whose grit and life experience make them exactly the type of people the tech industry needs, it makes sense for the university to rally behind them and empower them with the skills and mentorship needed to reshape an industry.

Inviting women in will not only make an impact on the economy, it will impact other women and girls. Reducing the skills gap and filling open positions stimulates growth, becoming a role model challenges the “coder bro” stereotype.

Ultimately, this campaign inspires women to consider a career in tech; but it’s also a campaign for anyone who values innovative thinking. Male or female, it’s in all of our best interests to get more women in tech, because diverse perspectives lead to breakthroughs that help all of us rise.

The University of Phoenix graduates the highest percentage of female students in the U.S. And with more than 20,000 women graduated into the tech field, a ratio 10% higher than the national average, the university is no stranger to helping women succeed in an industry known to be mostly male. Two of the three IS&T deans are women, and over $1,000,000 in scholarships has been awarded to women in IT. But there’s still work to be done. The U.S. needs to fill 4.4 million tech jobs by 2024. Women could help fill these jobs. They just haven’t been invited in. Initiatives like Girls Who Code and Goldie Box are doing important work inviting young girls in. The problem is, their work won’t be realized until 2020 or later when their graduates enter the workforce. Something more needs to be done now. Tech boot camps provide quick solutions for adults but they require students to put their lives on hold – a heavy burden for working women and mothers. By providing efficient tech programs that fit in women’s lives, and providing mentors via fortune 500 employer partnerships, University of Phoenix can make a more immediate dent in the skills gap.