Women in engineering: MIA?
I’ve noted before that there are precious few women engineers in most American companies. This, despite women being in a majority on campuses, as they beat out their male counterparts in the increasingly competitive college admissions process. Indeed, women are substantially represented on the lower rungs of the career ladder in technical and engineering departments.
But the story changes as they reach their mid- to late-thirties. Over half of all women voluntarily quit their jobs. What gives?
Monday’s Financial Times has a detailed analysis by Columbia University economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett who identifies five factors forcing out female engineers:
1. Many are turned off by male behavior. A reported 63% of women in science and engineering experience sexual harassment.
2. Women feel isolated.
3. Many lack role models and no-one to mentor their career progression.
4. They prefer not to embrace risk-taking career gambles.
5. Finally, they are caught between a rock and hard place when it comes to maintaining 70+ hour work weeks AND managing child and elder care.
Hewlett offers some sound advice for companies who wish to maintain their pool of qualified female engineers and scientists past their 30’s. Failure to do so, she points out, is a national issue:
“In the US alone, reducing female attrition by one-quarter would add 220,000 qualified people to the science, engineering and technology labour pool.”
3 Comments so far
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I have worked as a non-degreed engineer. One more aspect of the job was international travel. For me it was great as my wife traveled with me.
I did work with one woman engineer on a large hand laid drystone retaining wall. The reason she made it was that she owned her own business.
As you mentioned, most are MIA.
By Jonathan Steele on 06.14.08 6:44 pm
I am a woman engineer who is torn between keeping my company happy and keeping my family happy on a daily basis. It is a difficult balance. I feel like I have to prove myself so much more because I am a woman. It also seems I get paid less with the excuse that I take off for my kids at times. I make sure my projects are covered and take very little vacation time, but that isn’t enough it seems. Most of the women I graduated in engineering with have decided to quit bucking the system. I don’t blame them. I am only working because the cost of my childrens’ medical bills has outpaced what we can afford on one salary. Thank goodness for the men out there who sympathize with this situation. I have been fortunate enough to work with several male contractors who have had to put off meetings because their wife is at work and their kids are sick. I am glad to see some of this balancing out.
By Brenda on 08.29.08 10:53 am
I am a woman working in engineering and a young one at that. I have had no problems with the group I work with pertaining to sexual harrassment, feeling isolated, or that I suffer from lack of mentorship. I think that knowing what you want in life really makes or breaks the success of your career. I do often find life lonely in that the average age in my group is 60 and that there are very few young engineers to interact with. I know one woman in particular here that has successfully balanced her career, obtaining a PhD and having 2 children simaltaneously. Therefore, I conclude that a womens success in a work environment pertains to motivation and interest. I always have time for my interests. Don’t you?
By Marissa on 09.25.08 10:33 am
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