<p>Hello! As a girl currently interested in engineering, I was wondering what the job prospects are for women engineers? My dad got his B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a Ph.D. in engineering management, and he told me that generally, companies are more reluctant to hire females compared to males. Is this true? I'd appreciate any input, but it would be nice to get a reply from a woman currently in the field. Thanks! :)</p>
<p>It’s completely opposite from what I have experienced. Companies are more willing to give girls interviews because they want to be seen as a diverse company. This is a big deal, if you ever see any major companies website, they always pride themselves on being diverse. Also men engineering management tend to want a hot girl or 2 around the office. </p>
<p>I have an internship with Southern California Gas and my boss is a female, and also the CEO of the company is a female. The company is doing very well.</p>
<p>Really? That’s interesting. I thought that it might have been the other way round because female workers often have many commitments, e.g. kids, family, etc. That said, would it be possible for me to balance all these along with a job in the field?</p>
<p>To answer your question. A career in engineering would make raising kids easier compared to other jobs. Here’s my reasoning</p>
<ol>
<li><p>You don’t have to worry about money as much, so you can afford to take your kids on fun vacations, buy them nice things and pay for their college. This is a big deal when raising children.</p></li>
<li><p>An overwhelming majority of engineering companies are only open monday through friday. My company starts early and ends early, so our day ends at 4pm at the latest, which aligns with grade school decently well. Other good careers, such as business and nursing, often work weekends and odd working hours.</p></li>
<li><p>Engineering companies have more money in general, and therefore they don’t care as much if you take a maternity leave or take time off for time with the kids.</p></li>
<li><p>If you can help your kid in math and science much better as a working engineer</p></li>
</ol>
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Women in professional positions both see and cause a number of difficulties, but overall most companies do want women at least as much as they want men. Part of this is practical (women tend to think differently than men, and having both genders can often be more efficient than either gender working alone), part of is political (they need to show that they are friendly to women to avoid lawsuits and image problems). Plus, male engineers like having female engineers around (generally - there are some old coots who disagree, but they are retiring out of the system!).</p>
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As a parent, the main benefits I see are in the ability to pay for medical expenses, clothing, music lessons, and healthy food. Vacations and “nice things” are pretty far down the list.</p>
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This depends greatly on the position and the company. In my current role I have very flexible hours and no weekends. In my previous role I had a lot of late nights, weekends where I came home only to sleep, and extensive travel. Some of this is regimented - our production lines are 24/7/365, and we have engineering teams on hand at all times. The business people in my company are constantly astonished about the hours some engineers keep.</p>
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They care just as much as any other company does. They provide maternity benefits because it is cheaper to let you have 6 weeks off than it is to hire a replacement. My company provides discounted (but quality) drop-off daycare and free babysitter hiring services - not out of the good of their hearts, but because they want you at work, not home with a sick kid.</p>
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When they get to high school perhaps, or in college. As an engineer I often find my 4th-grader’s homework baffling, if only because I cannot always tell what they are asking!</p>
<p>calgirl, I’m a female structual engineer. I got out of school in 1986 (master’s degree). I have never had any problem getting a job. I met my husband in school, and we have actually interviewed for jobs together! Our resumes were very similar. On one occasion, I was offered the job. Another time, the interviewer said that they would take either one of us. A company in Maine ended up hiring both of us. They put me in the structures department and my husband in civil (I guess they thought we would kill each other or something if we worked together).</p>
<p>I worked with one or two guys who were chauvanists, but 99% of the men are great. You’re just another engineer to them!</p>
<p>My husband and I started our own firm about 12 years ago, and the flexibility has been wonderful for raising kids. I can work odd hours (like now, ha!) and still have time to get the kids to piano lessons, sports events, etc.</p>
<p>cosmicfish, I have to agree with you on the homework. I cannot believe how they make kids do subtraction these days! It’s bizarre.</p>
<p>Studies on female engineers have quite some mixed results. One is that it is easier for female engineer to find a job, but they don’t get paid as much as their male peers. Well, if you do get a lot of offers…shouldn’t you be able to negotiate for better pay?</p>
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<p>Aside from mat leave, they don’t have to have more commitments outside of work than their male counterparts. Is your mom a working professional? It will help to marry someone who supports your career as much as you support theirs; then you can both juggle work and family responsibilities.</p>
<p>@ MaineLonghorn, cosmicfish, and starbright: thanks for the detailed info! My own mother is a homemaker - she’s raised me and my sister full-time ever since we were born, so I don’t know too much about how other women juggle work and family. These posts were very helpful.</p>
<p>At my company, 31% of the engineers are women but this is not a representative sample as I am a biomedical engineer which tends to attract more women than other fields. Maybe due to the human nature of it. I know its not decreasing… Its growing incrementally every year.</p>
<p>[Business</a> and Professional Women’s Foundation](<a href=“http://www.bpwfoundation.org/]Business”>http://www.bpwfoundation.org/)</p>