TAMPA, Fla. —Employment in STEM careers is expected to grow at twice the rate of overall employment through 2031, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Despite the projected growth, there is still a lack of Latina women in STEM careers, with only 8% making up the industry.

What You Need To Know

  • Latinas compromise 8% of those in STEM careers

  • Puro Clean of Pinellas President Adriana De Dios is part of the small percentage of women in STEM

  • Through her business, De Dios is sharing her story and message with other Latina women

Every Friday, you’ll find Adriana De Dios talking about her passion with other business owners. She’s the president of Puro Clean of Pinellas.

“These are people that are trying to make changes in whatever industry they are in, to make a change in the community, because in some instances, they don’t see things going the way that they would like to, so they are here to make a difference,” she said.

She’s a member of the Business Network International Organization, or BNI for short.

De Dios said it’s a place where she’s “working” to help others.

Her business accesses fire, water, mold, or biohazard damages. The work requires a knowledge of chemicals, environmental health and clean-up and mitigation.

The goal is to restore homes to their original state, so clients don’t have to purchase another one.

“Regardless if people have insurance or not, we take care of them and we provide financial options for people that don’t carry any insurance,” said De Dios.

Fixing homes hits close to home for De Dios — she was the victim of a house fire herself in 2021.

“We found all the smoke and all the smoke detectors going off in the house. That’s when we found out the whole kitchen island had caught out on fire,” she said.

Her entire kitchen had to be replaced, along with walls in the surrounding rooms.

De Dios describes what it was like in her home. “Then, since the vent is right above (the kitchen area), it just pulled all the ashes and all the smoke and that’s what caused all the damage.”

Some appliances had to be replaced and De Dios said it was support from businesses that helped her through the tough times.

It’s also what led her to opening her own damage restoration business.

“It empowers me to know that I have all the tools to make this better for somebody to be able to help with the resources that I have,” she said.

De Dios wants to encourage other Latina women to be open to all kinds of career opportunities, including STEM.

“Each and every one of us has a different journey and sometimes, even if life presents itself with things that are tragedies, you need to incorporate that into your journey,” she said.

De Dios is hoping to continue paying it forward one client at a time, helping to make their homes a safe place.

De Dios says her journey doesn’t stop there — she’s also looking to be a part of other organizations where she can share her story with others.