Women Becoming Disillusioned, Leaving Engineering, Says Study
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Nearly 40% of women who earn engineering degrees quit the profession or never enter the field. For those who leave, poor workplace climates and mistreatment by managers and coworkers are common reasons, according to research presented at the American Psychological Association’s 122nd Annual Convention earlier this month. While women accounted for more than 20% of engineering school graduates over the past two decades, only 11% of practicing engineers are women, and only 9% of electronic and environmental engineers are, said Nadya Fouad, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She presented findings from the first phase of a three-year National Science Foundation study that surveyed 5,300 engineering alumnae spanning six decades. While 62% of the women surveyed persisted in their careers as engineers, 11% never entered the field, 21% left more than five years ago, and 6% left less than five years ago. Women who left engineering more than five years ago cited reasons for their decision including caregiving responsibilities, no opportunities for advancement and loss of interest in engineering.