Abstract:

While the proportion of female graduates in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) degree courses in Germany has risen by 9,1 %, the proportion of women in STEM-training occupations has improved only slightly (BUNDESARGENTUR FÜR ARBEIT 2019). However, a closer look at the data shows, that STEM-occupations are not generally unattractive for women. There are even occupations, in which women are in the majority (e.g. biology laboratory technician, 68,3%). Based on this knowledge, the research project rises the question, why some STEM-occupations are often chosen by women, while others are almost neglected.

In order to get a better understanding of this phenomenon, couples of training occupations were formed. Each couple comes from the same professional area, but differs greatly in the proportion of women.

The main research questions are:
• Which influencing factors make young women to opt for a STEM-training occupation and do the factors differ in their effects?
• What do young women expect of the chosen STEM-occupation and do these expectations fit with the experiences they made during the training?
• How might digitalisation change the current career choice preferences of women?
• Which influencing factors promote or restrain the decision of female workers in STEM-occupations for an upgrading training?

The project consists of three parts. In the first part, expert interviews are held to discuss the assumptions derived from the literature analysis. Moreover websites and job advertisements of STEM companies are analysed for a women-friendly approach.
In the second part, case studies will be conducted, interviewing female trainees from the first and the third year of both comparable occupations.
Finally, the results set on a broad basis by a quantitative survey.
The planned conference contribution will present results from the just finished first part. The main points are as follows:

Influencing factors vary:
The factors influencing women's career choice vary according to the chosen occupation. So female chemical laboratory assistants mainly choose the occupation because of an interest in science, whereas in the case of the female chemical assistants, the influence of the parents matters the most.

Special programs for women but still present stereotypes and clichés

Many companies provide special programs for women. Nevertheless, stereotypes and clichés are still prevalent in the speech and pictures of their online presence. This can counterbalance the positive effects of all efforts.

The presentation of the professions matters:
STEM-occupations often have a male connotation. This way of thinking could be broken up by highlighting typical occupational skills, which are more likely to be assigned to women. In addition, emphasising the output or social relevance of the profession could improve its attractiveness for women. The designation of a profession plays also an important role.

Even at the current early stage of the project it becomes obvious that there is no one size fits it all measure to attract more women the STEM-occupations. Measures must be tailor-made with respect to the occupation and additionally the gender-relatedness of occupations must be broken through.

References:
[1] BUNDESARGENTUR FÜR ARBEIT (2019): Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit; Berichte: Blickpunkt Arbeitsmarkt – MINT - Berufe, Nürnberg.

Keywords:

Gender equality, diversity, STEM.