Hearing the Female Voices in QualityCreating a Diverse Workforce

Sharyn MlinarSr. Quality Engineer

The Boeing CompanyPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

Sharyn.e.mlinar@boeing.com

2011 New Faces in Engineering

Women are severely underrepresented in the engineering profession. Research shows that girls and young women lose interest in subjects and the fields of study leading to engineering careers long before they enter college. As part of our focus on girls, we will publicize the need for more women in engineering and will reach K-12 girls with positive messages about math and science education and engineering careers. Additionally we are striving to have engineering societies and other organizations incorporate their own focus on women engineers with a hope that these various entities can continue to collaborate in the future. Currently only 20 percent of engineering undergraduates are women. Only ten percent of the engineering workforce are women. For years, false notions of girls’ innate inability in math, lack of science preparation in high school, and assumptions about the effects of historical and institutional discrimination, have been offered as causes for the startling disproportion. Recent surveys, however, refute most of those theories, including the ones that question girls’ academic readiness to study engineering when they leave high school. Girls and boys take requisite courses at approximately the same rate, with girls’ enrollment often exceeding that of boys. Instead, experts contend that the major culprit is one of perception among girls and the people who influence them, including teachers, parents, peers, and the media. In short, girls have to perceive they can be engineers before they can be engineers. According to the National Engineers Week Foundation, nothing conveys that message as effectively as mentors and role models and no program more effectively brings girls and role models together than Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, now in its 8th year.

Agilent Technologies, Inc. and the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation are lead sponsors for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, with additional funding from the Motorola Foundation.

Some suggested reading material for girls are: Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women

Girls just wanna have fun in engineering: Techbridge can help you Introduce a Girl to Engineering For more information about Introduce A Girl to Engineering Day, visit The National Engineers Week Foundation

For specific information about what schools, companies and organizations are doing for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, check out EWeek.org's National Pledge Roster

INTRODUCE A GIRL TO ENGINEERING DAY FEBRUARY 24, 2011

From Jean Piaget’s early studies of boys at school and Carol Gilligan’s studies of females (1982) to the compilation of longitudinal studies edited by Ceci and Williams (2007) the data appear to substantiate that males and females approach life and its circumstances with differences but that cognitive ability with regard to sciences and the arts is not different.

Subject TotalMargin of

Error (+/-)

MaleMargin of

Error (+/-)

FemaleMargin of

Error (+/-)

Population 18 to 24 years 29,636,552 18,253 15,267,203 10,671 14,369,349 12,187

Less than high school graduate 17.1% 0.1 19.8% 0.1 14.3% 0.1

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 32.5% 0.1 34.9% 0.1 30.0% 0.1

Some college or associate's degree

41.4% 0.1 38.2% 0.2 44.8% 0.2

Bachelor's degree or higher 9.0% 0.1 7.2% 0.1 10.9% 0.1

Table 1 Educational Attainment 2006 - 2008

U.S. Census Bureau, 2006-2008 American Community Survey

Table 2 Educational Attainment 2006 - 2008

Subject TotalMargin of

Error (+/-)

MaleMargin of

Error (+/-)

FemaleMargin of

Error (+/-)

Population 25 years and over 197,794,576 28,830 95,374,767 17,334 102,419,809 15,872

Less than 9th grade 6.4% 0.1 6.6% 0.1 6.2% 0.1

9th to 12th grade, no diploma 9.1% 0.1 9.5% 0.1 8.7% 0.1

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 29.6% 0.1 29.5% 0.1 29.6% 0.1

Some college, no degree 20.1% 0.1 19.5% 0.1 20.6% 0.1

Associate's degree 7.4% 0.1 6.7% 0.1 8.1% 0.1

Bachelor's degree 17.3% 0.1 17.5% 0.1 17.2% 0.1

Graduate or professional degree 10.1% 0.1 10.7% 0.1 9.5% 0.1

 

Percent high school graduate or higher 84.5% 0.1 83.9% 0.1 85.1% 0.1

Percent bachelor's degree or higher 27.4% 0.1 28.2% 0.1 26.7% 0.1

U.S. Census Bureau, 2006-2008 American Community Survey

Subject TotalMargin of

Error (+/-)

MaleMargin of

Error (+/-)

FemaleMargin of Error

(+/-)

Population 25 to 34 years40,125,972 14,231 20,407,842 9,724 19,718,130 9,587

High school graduate or higher 86.2% 0.1 84.1% 0.1 88.4% 0.1

Bachelor's degree or higher 29.2% 0.1 25.8% 0.1 32.7% 0.1

 

Population 35 to 44 years43,140,679 12,910 21,602,724 9,177 21,537,955 7,867

High school graduate or higher 87.2% 0.1 85.6% 0.1 88.9% 0.1

Bachelor's degree or higher 30.4% 0.1 29.0% 0.1 31.7% 0.1

 

Population 45 to 64 years76,547,789 14,648 37,355,336 10,409 39,192,453 7,968

High school graduate or higher 87.3% 0.1 86.5% 0.1 88.0% 0.1

Bachelor's degree or higher 28.8% 0.1 30.2% 0.1 27.5% 0.1

 

Population 65 years and over 37,980,136 7,120 16,008,865 4,220 21,971,271 4,849

High school graduate or higher 74.2% 0.1 75.2% 0.1 73.4% 0.1

Bachelor's degree or higher 19.4% 0.1 25.4% 0.1 15.0% 0.1

Table 3 Educational Attainment 2006 - 2008

Table 4 Poverty rate for the population 25 years and over for whom poverty status is determined by educational attainment level

TotalMargin of

Error (+/-)

MaleMargin of

Error (+/-)

FemaleMargin of

Error (+/-)

Less than high school graduate 23.6% 0.1 19.4% 0.1 27.7% 0.1

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 11.5% 0.1 9.3% 0.1 13.5% 0.1

Some college or associate's degree 7.8% 0.1 6.0% 0.1 9.4% 0.1

Bachelor's degree4.1% 0.1 3.6% 0.1 4.5% 0.1

Graduate or professional degree 3.0% 0.1 2.7% 0.1 3.3% 0.1

Table 5 Median Earnings 2008 by Educational Attainment Level

Subject

TotalMargin of

Error (+/-)

MaleMargin of

Error (+/-)

FemaleMargin of

Error (+/-)

Population 25 years and over with earnings 34,483 44 41,298 49 28,104 43

Less than high school graduate 19,989 53 23,638 97 14,682 54

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 27,448 28 33,506 74 21,711 35

Some college or associate's degree 33,838 51 41,861 58 27,663 62

Bachelor's degree 47,853 81 59,079 163 39,571 79

Graduate or professional degree 63,174 115 79,276 210 52,301 100

Table 6 Science and engineering degrees awarded, by degree level and sex of recipient 1966-2006

Tabulated by National Science Foundation/Division of Science Resources Statistics (NSF/SRS); data from Department of Education/National Center for Education Statistics: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Completions Survey and NSF/SRS: Survey of Earned Doctorates (NSF, 2009)

Academic Bachelor's Master's Doctorate

year ending Men Women % women Men Women % women Men Women % women

                   

1966 138,679 45,634 24.8 35,580 5,469 13.3 10,646 924 8.0

1967 149,045 50,787 25.4 38,682 6,306 14.0 12,013 1,096 8.4

1968 165,200 61,397 27.1 41,551 7,209 14.8 13,328 1,317 9.0

1969 189,272 72,917 27.8 44,182 8,200 15.7 14,781 1,507 9.3

1970 204,528 79,702 28.0 43,973 9,722 18.1 16,404 1,648 9.1

                   

1971 209,318 85,039 28.9 46,116 10,338 18.3 17,385 1,996 10.3

1972 216,422 90,037 29.4 48,721 11,328 18.9 17,191 2,151 11.1

1973 225,090 95,995 29.9 50,233 11,813 19.0 16,853 2,520 13.0

1974 223,652 102,578 31.4 49,528 12,711 20.4 16,043 2,671 14.3

1975 210,741 102,814 32.8 49,410 13,788 21.8 15,870 2,929 15.6

                   

1976 205,570 103,921 33.6 49,992 15,015 23.1 15,375 3,097 16.8

1977 198,805 104,993 34.6 50,899 16,498 24.5 14,775 3,233 18.0

1978 195,888 107,667 35.5 50,034 17,230 25.6 14,199 3,454 19.6

1979 193,247 109,915 36.3 46,614 17,612 27.4 14,128 3,744 20.9

1980 191,215 113,480 37.2 46,004 18,085 28.2 13,814 3,961 22.3

                   

1981 190,977 115,815 37.8 45,505 18,861 29.3 14,056 4,201 23.0

1982 193,624 121,399 38.5 46,557 20,011 30.1 13,923 4,350 23.8

1983 194,380 123,191 38.8 46,734 20,999 31.0 13,920 4,714 25.3

1984 199,150 125,134 38.6 47,049 21,533 31.4 13,954 4,791 25.6

1985 203,402 128,871 38.8 48,247 22,331 31.6 14,043 4,891 25.8

                   

1986 204,743 130,662 39.0 48,621 23,219 32.3 14,268 5,167 26.6

1987 199,981 131,545 39.7 48,759 23,844 32.8 14,580 5,312 26.7

1988 191,549 130,933 40.6 49,820 23,835 32.4 15,267 5,662 27.1

1989 189,338 133,483 41.3 50,845 25,580 33.5 15,623 6,109 28.1

1990 189,082 140,012 42.5 51,230 26,558 34.1 16,498 6,369 27.9

                   

1991 189,328 148,347 43.9 50,441 27,927 35.6 16,982 6,932 29.0

1992 195,779 159,486 44.9 52,157 28,950 35.7 17,420 7,080 28.9

1993 200,315 165,720 45.3 55,454 30,971 35.8 17,568 7,652 30.3

1994 202,284 170,977 45.8 57,970 33,441 36.6 18,163 7,922 30.4

1995 202,217 175,931 46.5 58,518 35,791 38.0 18,117 8,286 31.4

                   

1996 203,341 181,333 47.1 57,860 37,453 39.3 18,454 8,648 31.9

1997 201,471 187,011 48.1 55,223 38,262 40.9 18,080 8,934 33.1

1998 200,221 190,397 48.7 55,335 38,583 41.1 17,809 9,348 34.4

1999 NA NA NA NA NA NA 16,734 9,081 35.2

2000 197,669 200,953 50.4 54,213 41,470 43.3 16,519 9,393 36.2

                   

2001 197,623 202,583 50.6 55,593 43,393 43.8 16,186 9,298 36.5

2002 204,408 211,203 50.8 55,701 43,472 43.8 15,387 9,172 37.3

2003 218,698 222,389 50.4 61,199 46,711 43.3 15,762 9,519 37.7

2004 225,909 229,939 50.4 66,798 51,672 43.6 16,418 9,856 37.5

2005 230,806 235,197 50.5 66,974 53,051 44.2 17,407 10,539 37.7

2006 234,260 239,273 50.5 66,262 54,075 44.9 18,341 11,469 38.5

                   

Academic Bachelor's Master's Doctorate

year ending Men Women % women Men Women % women Men Women % women

                   

1966 138,679 45,634 24.8 35,580 5,469 13.3 10,646 924 8.0

1967 149,045 50,787 25.4 38,682 6,306 14.0 12,013 1,096 8.4

1968 165,200 61,397 27.1 41,551 7,209 14.8 13,328 1,317 9.0

1969 189,272 72,917 27.8 44,182 8,200 15.7 14,781 1,507 9.3

1970 204,528 79,702 28.0 43,973 9,722 18.1 16,404 1,648 9.1

                   

1971 209,318 85,039 28.9 46,116 10,338 18.3 17,385 1,996 10.3

1972 216,422 90,037 29.4 48,721 11,328 18.9 17,191 2,151 11.1

1973 225,090 95,995 29.9 50,233 11,813 19.0 16,853 2,520 13.0

1974 223,652 102,578 31.4 49,528 12,711 20.4 16,043 2,671 14.3

1975 210,741 102,814 32.8 49,410 13,788 21.8 15,870 2,929 15.6

                   

1976 205,570 103,921 33.6 49,992 15,015 23.1 15,375 3,097 16.8

1977 198,805 104,993 34.6 50,899 16,498 24.5 14,775 3,233 18.0

1978 195,888 107,667 35.5 50,034 17,230 25.6 14,199 3,454 19.6

1979 193,247 109,915 36.3 46,614 17,612 27.4 14,128 3,744 20.9

1980 191,215 113,480 37.2 46,004 18,085 28.2 13,814 3,961 22.3

                   

1981 190,977 115,815 37.8 45,505 18,861 29.3 14,056 4,201 23.0

1982 193,624 121,399 38.5 46,557 20,011 30.1 13,923 4,350 23.8

1983 194,380 123,191 38.8 46,734 20,999 31.0 13,920 4,714 25.3

1984 199,150 125,134 38.6 47,049 21,533 31.4 13,954 4,791 25.6

1985 203,402 128,871 38.8 48,247 22,331 31.6 14,043 4,891 25.8

                   

1986 204,743 130,662 39.0 48,621 23,219 32.3 14,268 5,167 26.6

1987 199,981 131,545 39.7 48,759 23,844 32.8 14,580 5,312 26.7

1988 191,549 130,933 40.6 49,820 23,835 32.4 15,267 5,662 27.1

1989 189,338 133,483 41.3 50,845 25,580 33.5 15,623 6,109 28.1

1990 189,082 140,012 42.5 51,230 26,558 34.1 16,498 6,369 27.9

                   

1991 189,328 148,347 43.9 50,441 27,927 35.6 16,982 6,932 29.0

1992 195,779 159,486 44.9 52,157 28,950 35.7 17,420 7,080 28.9

1993 200,315 165,720 45.3 55,454 30,971 35.8 17,568 7,652 30.3

1994 202,284 170,977 45.8 57,970 33,441 36.6 18,163 7,922 30.4

1995 202,217 175,931 46.5 58,518 35,791 38.0 18,117 8,286 31.4

                   

1996 203,341 181,333 47.1 57,860 37,453 39.3 18,454 8,648 31.9

1997 201,471 187,011 48.1 55,223 38,262 40.9 18,080 8,934 33.1

1998 200,221 190,397 48.7 55,335 38,583 41.1 17,809 9,348 34.4

1999 NA NA NA NA NA NA 16,734 9,081 35.2

2000 197,669 200,953 50.4 54,213 41,470 43.3 16,519 9,393 36.2

                   

2001 197,623 202,583 50.6 55,593 43,393 43.8 16,186 9,298 36.5

2002 204,408 211,203 50.8 55,701 43,472 43.8 15,387 9,172 37.3

2003 218,698 222,389 50.4 61,199 46,711 43.3 15,762 9,519 37.7

2004 225,909 229,939 50.4 66,798 51,672 43.6 16,418 9,856 37.5

2005 230,806 235,197 50.5 66,974 53,051 44.2 17,407 10,539 37.7

2006 234,260 239,273 50.5 66,262 54,075 44.9 18,341 11,469 38.5

                   

Machine Design reported in December 2009 “only 1 in 10 male engineers leave the field by the time they hit 30, but about 1 in 4 women leave engineering after getting their degree.”

Country Women in Labor Force %F

Unemployed %F / %M

Part-time Employed%F / %M

Service/ Manufacturing%F / %F

Maternity Leave and Pay (weeks/%pay)

Austria 51 4.2/4.3 24.4/2.6 NA 16/100

Belgium 40 8.9/7.7 NA 88.2/10.7 15/a

Denmark 73 6.2/5.0 22.9/10.3 85.9/12.2 18/90

Finland 64 8.9/9.2 14.7/7.5 81.9/14.1 13.5/70

France 49 10.9/8.7 24.1/5.1 86.6/12.4 16/100

Germany 49 9.5/10.4 35.2/5.5 82.4/15.6 14/100

Greece 38 14.6/6.2 10/2.9 65.7/12.9 17/100

Iceland 79 2.9/3.6 31.2/10.2 NA 12/80

Ireland 49 3.9/4.8 33.2/7.1 82.5/15.6 18/70

Italy 37 11.6/6.7 23.4/4.8 76.8/19.2 20/80

Japan 48 4.9/5.5 40.2/13.7 NA 14/60

Netherlands 56 4.4/4.2 59.9/15 89.0/8.6 16/a

Norway 69 4.0/4.9 33.0/9.2 NA 16/80-100

Portugal 55 7.2/505 NA 67.8/12.9 18/100

Spain 43 15.9/8.2 16.3/2.4 81.3/13.9 16/100

Sweden 76 4.4/5.3 20.3/7.3 87.5/11.1 16/100

Switzerland 59 4.5/3.8 45.3/7.7 NA 14/80

United Kingdom

55 4.1/5.5 39.7/8.8 87.3/11.9 18/a

United States

60 5.7/6.3 17.1/6.9 80.0/64.0 12/0

Table XMaternityLeave

Table X

Note: Service/Manufacturing industry data from the United Nations Statistical Yearbook 2000 (2004). Labor force, unemployment, part-time employment data from United nations Statistics 2000-2003. Data are rounded. Note that women are over represented in both part-time and service professions, indicating a lower wage base. F = female, M = male, NA = no data available. The rates in these countries, where the initial amount is

higher that the amount for remaining leave. Moreover, in some countries such as the United Kingdom and Sweden, the leave may be longer, but there is less pay for longer leave periods.

(see http://www.childpolicyintl.org) (Watt & Eccles, 343-344)

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