Sweetz+Numbanumba

Competitive Careers and the Affect on Women

Engineering is ranked one of the top ten most competitive careers for 2010-2020 (Hubpage Inc.2010). Engineering is also one of the most popular majors amongst undergraduate students at several universities across the United States such as The Ohio State University and Jackson State University. Engineering provides many opportunities to explore the world and work for large reputable companies that provide great benefits, dependable salaries, and excellent field experience. Engineering majors are able to attend medical school, design, work on huge projects, and teach. Following thorough research I concluded that women that are studying engineering seem to get questioned intellectually more than men as undergraduate students as if the work is seen as "men's work". This leads to inferiority and as a result there were more male undergraduates who completed college with an engineering degree. There are organizations and research being conducted to improve the outcome of women’s success in engineering that focus on establishing what women need to do in order to be successful.

As a second year undergraduate student exploring different aspects of engineering I believe that learning about everything the career has to offer. Some other inquiries include what requirements are needed in order to finish college with a degree in engineering and what it takes in order to find employment. I believe that as a women I have been challenged academically, athletically, and professionally to both my spouse, co-workers, friends, brother, and male classmates. Engineering is a demanding field and with research, interviews, books, and the internet.

Keisha Slaughter was the first of three interviews used as research to contribute to my study. Keisha Slaughter is a current Project Manager for the Ohio STEM Learning Network. Keisha Slaughter she is an alumni of Northwestern University where she received a bachelor’s degree of industrial engineering. Keisha worked as an engineer lead for a large international company for many years. Engineering was her passion and overall desire. She was one of the few women showed by statistics that graduated and quickly found wonderful employment. During the interview with Keisha Slaughter informed me that the pay was great, she was working within her major's field, and yet she was not completely satisfied. Engineering did not fulfill her passion completely; she wanted to pursue a career that included both giving back to youth through education and engineering. Keisha then began to work as a Project Manager where she focuses on implementing designing program promoting the knowledge of career in competitive careers including the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) subjects to students in grades 2-12. I met Keisha Slaughter a junior in high school and as a result I have been exposed to the world of engineering.

Keisha believes that engineering is one of the greatest fields to work in and has a lot to offer. She also mentioned that she believes that it was challenging as a woman being in a field. Keisha Slaughter she also informed that as a student and professional she encountered challenges as a women in engineering. She felt as if at times her gender led to being underestimated.

Regina Simmons and Mariya Kim are both collegiate students pursuing engineering. Regina Simmons is a senior at The University of Kentucky majoring in mechanical engineering and with a double minor in communications and Spanish. Mariya Kim is a third year student majoring in industrial engineering at The Ohio State University. Regina Simmons mentioned during her interview that engineering does lack in consistency of women engineers. Regina Simmons believes that the challenges of the field are too difficult for some women. Regina Simmons says that engineering can be unfair to men at her school. Male students often exceed and do not work nearly as hard as she does. Mariya in comparison believes that engineering offers equality but she does agree that there are more men pursuing engineering at the university. She is unsure rather are not if it is because of the difficulty of the field or if gender is to blame. Mariya is a member of NSBE where she seeks supports, learns about SWE and works in collaboration with other undergraduate females studying engineering.

Organizations that exist to support women engineers include The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a not-for-profit educational and service organization that empowers women to succeed and advance in the field of engineering, and to be recognized for their life-changing contributions as engineers and leaders. Founded in 1950, The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career for women through an exciting array of training and development programs, networking opportunities, scholarships, outreach and advocacy activities, and much more. The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is a 501 non-profit association that is owned and managed by its members. The organization is dedicated to the academic and professional success of African-American engineering students and professionals. The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) The NSSB offers its members leadership training, professional development, mentoring opportunities, career placement services and more. The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) The NSBE is comprised of 242 collegiate, 70 professional and 82 pre-college active chapters nationwide and overseas. These chapters are geographically divided into six regions. The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) The NSBE is governed by an executive board of college students and engineering professionals and is operated by a professional staff in our World Headquarters located in Alexandria, VA. The Ohio State University is one of the many universities that has a The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) chapter and works collectively with The Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Every year there is a SWE Career Fair at the university.

Utilizing The Society of Women Engineer’s (SWE) website was beneficial. The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) This website provides statistics of undergraduate women and men categorized by race as freshmen, graduates, and those in the field. Male freshmen lead the transition to second year remaining students. Men also tripled the number of women who successfully completed Men were three times more likely to complete their undergraduate studies. According to Judith Samson and J. Gregg Robinson (1992) “Engineering holds the dubious distinction of being male-dominated of all the professions “. (p. 2) Judith Samson and J. Gregg Robinson’s book Women in engineering: gender, power, and workplace culture discuss discrimination of women and mentions the different encounters experienced as engineers.

Women are often discriminated against when working with the opposite sex. Women experience harassment and discrimination in their workplace by both superiors and colleagues of equal standings. As in the reading from class I have encountered women who were discriminated against or hit on by co-workers who turned down the request and were labeled lesbians.

There is legislation to deal with problems of discrimination or harassment. besides services such as human resources at jobs or consultation offices for women who suffer discrimination or harassment. Legal actions available to change the system and organization such as The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and The National Society of Engineers (NSBE) that support women in the transition of receiving what they want and need in the workplace. The women need to be treated fairly and want equality as engineers and intellects. The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws are one of option of fighting against discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) these laws apply only when the treatment is based on the presence of a protected characteristic, rather than on job performance or even on something as arbitrary as an employee's personality. Studying engineering as a male dominated career that is unfair to women proposes a challenge for me as a women planning to endure the challenges of the field. Keisha Slaughter, Regina Simmons, and Mariya Kim provided support systems, personal experiences, and their personal view on engineering and what they each have encountered as women. Engineering statistics from The Society of Women and the book entitled Women in engineering: gender, power, and workplace culture by Judith Samson and J. Gregg Robinson provided facts and proved that engineering is unfair to women.

References

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) www.**nsbe**.org/

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) www.swe.org/

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Competitive Careers and the Affect on Women

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> The purpose of my research is to study the aspects of the effects of men and women working as engineers. My goal is to survey a few people I work with, attend school with, and those who live in my community. I think that a variety of people in different categories would give me a lot of detail and a variety of different views. I plan to search for singles, heterosexuals, homosexuals, bisexuals, those married with kids, those in college, single professionals, single with kids, divorced or separated and those who are somewhere in between each of my categories. Using a wide variety provides several different views of the topics.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> I plan to become an engineer some day and maybe progress towards a career in business. Many statistics show that male engineers make more than female engineers. I believe that financial gaps are unfair if the work demand is the same. I that in planning my personal finances I believe that I am a lot more specific when choosing things I want and or need. For example something I want would include a new car and something I need is some new glasses. I think that needs are categorized over wants because of the priority of the need.I decided to target Engineering specifically due to my interest in the field. Teaching students engineering, studying engineering and knowing the benefits of being passionate about the topic lead to my focus and interviewing for just one specific career.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Interesting Topics, Organizations & Successful People to Contact


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">· The Women Institute for Financial Education, W.I.F.E
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">· The National Society of Black Engineers
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">· Keisha Slaughter
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">· Michelle Mills
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">· Jake Meiser

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Are you considering gender in planning your personal finances? Do women have different needs? Bibliography

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">eiser The references I used provided evidence of the different affects of the economic standards and demands of men and women. From my research I found that

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Babco, Eleanor. (2004). Professional women and minorities : a total human resources data compendium / prepared by eleanor l. babco, nathan e. bell The Commission of Professionals in Science and Technology (CPST)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Besse, Tim. (2010). Engineering pay gap? glassdoor reveals many women engineers earn less than men, http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/engineering-pay-gap-glassdoor-reveals-many-women-engineers-earn-less-than-men/

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Collins, Nancy. (1983). Professional women & their mentors : a practical guide to mentoring for the woman who wants to get ahead / nancy w. collins.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Grind, Mind. (2008). Wife.org and moneyclubs.com co-founder candace bahr to serve as financial coach on msn money online reality series "the invested life". W.I.F.E.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Greene, Pamela. (1986). Nontraditional occupations for women: wages and prospects for employment including an examination of self-supporting wage levels. [microform].

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Macpherson, Anne. (2007). From colony to nation : women activists and the gendering of politics in belize, 1912-1982 / Anne s. Macpherson.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Primus, Wendell. (2002). Child living arrangements by race and income: a supplementary analysis. [microform].

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Salaries & Work- Engineer Girl. (2010). National Association of Colleges and Employers.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Soule, George. (1954). Men, wages, and employment in the modern u.s. economy / by george soule. New York: American Library.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Yoon, Sam. (1999). How large is the gap in salaries of male and female engineers?. National Science Foundation.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Paper Website References (Brief)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">

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