Although women now make up about half the labor force, concerns about balancing career and family keep many young women from entering male-dominated fields, according to a study by researchers at RTI International, University of Minnesota, University of Michigan and Murdoch University.
The study, published in the August issue of the Educational Research and Evaluation journal, looked at 137 female high school seniors in 1990 who aspired to male-dominated jobs. Seven years later, 83 percent of those women had changed their occupational aspirations to female-dominated fields or neutral jobs.
“Despite the women’s movement and more efforts in society to open occupational doors for women, concerns about balancing career and family continue to steer young women away from occupations in traditionally male-dominated fields, where their abilities and ambitions may lie,” said Pam Frome, Ph.D., RTI researcher and the study’s principal investigator. “Females are not only less likely to choose careers in male-dominated fields, but when they do, they are more likely than males to drop out of these fields.”
National statistics showed that by the end of the 1990s, women represented 46 percent of the national labor force but made up only 11 percent of engineers, 29 percent of computer and math scientists, 31 percent of chemists and 29 percent of lawyers.
The study found the most significant predictor for a young woman to change her career plans was a desire for a job that allowed for the flexibility for her to have a family.
“Many male-dominated fields are still inflexible in practice,” Frome said. “The reality is that it is difficult to pursue and be successful in all of the same types of careers as men if women want to have families and are expected to be primary caregivers.”
To counteract this trend, the authors emphasize that employers need to provide child care and a flexible working schedule to employees without compromising promotions or other career opportunities.
According to the authors, encouraging women to take classes in math and science is not enough. Young girls need role models who are successfully balancing male-dominated careers and families.
The authors recommend implementing programs that target girls’ and women’s underestimation of their abilities in math and science. They also suggest creating programs for young men that focus on taking on equal responsibility for childcare and the household.
The research was funded by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Spencer Foundation and the W. T. Grant Foundation.
About RTI International RTI International is dedicated to conducting research and development that improves the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. With a worldwide staff of more than 2,500, RTI offers innovative research and technical solutions to governments and businesses worldwide in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, democratic governance, economic and social development, energy, and the environment. The second largest independent nonprofit research organization in the United States, RTI maintains nine offices in the U.S., five international offices, and one international subsidiary, as well as project offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.rti.org.
