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While all of the efforts channeled towards getting girls to study science, technology, engineering and math have certainly increased graduation rates in these programs, they haven't seemed to counter one particular setback for women in engineering: Once they make it into the field, they often leave.
Research presented at the American Psychological Association's 122nd Annual Convention this week showed that nearly 40 percent of women who earn engineering degrees quit the profession or never enter the field at all. The findings were initially published in 2012, but researchers highlighted new results of an analysis between those who left and those who stayed in engineering during the convention.
Beginning in 2009, the national longitudinal study, conducted by Nadya Fouad, PhD, and Romila Singh, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, surveyed over 5,300 women who had graduated with an engineering degree to see: What happens to women after they earn those degrees?
Among the 38 percent of women who entered and subsequently left the field, 30 percent cited organizational climate, characterized by non-supportive supervisors or co-workers and general incivility, as a primary motivator. Nearly half left due to working conditions, like frequent travel, lack of advancement opportunities or low salary.
"It is hard to justify the long hours to go nowhere," said one respondent, currently working in industrial engineering, in the study.More: CLICK HERE
How to Attract Female Engineers - NYTimes.com
