According to Women in Aviation International, Women pilots, for example, represent only six percent of the total pilot population. Research by the National Science Foundation found that while women receive bachelor's degrees in science and engineering at about an equal rate as men, when it comes to certain areas — computer sciences, engineering, and mathematics — women receive far fewer degrees (18 percent, 19 percent, and 43 percent respectively). And according to research by the Computing Technology Industry Association, 69 percent of women who have not pursued careers in information technology attribute their choice to not knowing what opportunities are available to them. Understanding that young women are unrepresented in these industries, programs such as GIFT are important to increase awareness.

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Lisa Arinwine, as Chief Operating Officer for F&E Aircraft Maintenance, is passionate about introducing women and girls to the opportunities available in the aviation and aerospace industry. In recognizing the importance of inspiring the next generation of young women to think about a career in aviation, she developed the idea of Girls in Flight for Tomorrow (GIFT) where girls will have the opportunity to learn more about the aviation and aerospace industries and the careers offered.