3 answers
Abigail
Student
Memphis, Tennessee
1
Question
Asked
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Would it be difficult to be a female engineer because it is such a male dominated job?
I am asking because I am a girl who wants to be a female engineer and I think it would be very hard. #femaleengineers
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3 answers
BARBARA MILLER
Systems Engineer
10
Answers
Updated
BARBARA’s Answer
Abigail,
Don't be afraid or intimidated. Each person is there to do their job and each has a lot of offer. There are a lot of different engineering jobs and they need a female perspective.
I recall attending a computer industry trade show years ago. I had to search hard for women. It was interesting. It was easy for people to find me. :)
Have fun and do what you enjoy!
Amanda Olsen
Software Development (Web)
3
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Amanda’s Answer
Hi Abigail!
I can speak to the software engineering industry. Or, at least I can share my story.
Has it been hard because I'm a female? Not that I know of!
Have I ever been ignored or denigrated because I'm a female? Maybe once. I left a toxic work environment where I had the suspicion that the Director might view female ability as "less than". Whether or not he did, it was toxic (for many other objective reasons!) so I left.
Have my male coworkers ever overtly mistreated me? No, never! In fact it took one of my male engineering coworkers to help me understand that, in my previous toxic workplace, I may have been mistreated because of my gender. He kindly helped me realize this was a possibility!
Do I have the good fortune of working with many male engineers (and other roles) who are truly fantastic, inspiring, talented, and kind and generous? Yes! This is what I have experienced more than anything. Some of them have become my heroes and others my good friends.
Here is the one tip I can give. Well, two. First, do what you love. If it's engineering, don't let a disproportionate male/female ratio stop you. But two, every work culture is different. So, if you ever find yourself in a toxic work environment (and you probably will!), leave. On the way out, tell them why you're leaving. Software Engineers, at least, are in huge demand, so leaving for another job is relatively easy. There are many reasons a work environment can be toxic. How you are treated because of your gender is only one of them. If you were male, this advice would still apply. It can take time to find an optimal work environment. I went from job to job before I found a healthy work culture. (I was not facing gender discrimination but very different kinds of problems.) I've been very happy for years and thoughts of gender almost never enter my mind.
One story to share: a talented ex-CEO was once an employee of my company. Because she was female, I asked her one day about how she's been treated due to her gender. Keep in mind this is not a women in engineering. She's just in business. She has been highly successful and is beyond inspirational. (How many men are CEOs?!) Her secret? Leave. If it ever gets bad, just leave. You can't (usually) change a culture, but you can find a culture which does not need changing. So, when interviewing, make sure you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. You need to find out if they are a healthy work culture.
Last, wherever you are in engineering, you have the opportunity to pave the way for more females to join and to help establish a more diverse work culture which is almost always more effective and even fun.
I can speak to the software engineering industry. Or, at least I can share my story.
Has it been hard because I'm a female? Not that I know of!
Have I ever been ignored or denigrated because I'm a female? Maybe once. I left a toxic work environment where I had the suspicion that the Director might view female ability as "less than". Whether or not he did, it was toxic (for many other objective reasons!) so I left.
Have my male coworkers ever overtly mistreated me? No, never! In fact it took one of my male engineering coworkers to help me understand that, in my previous toxic workplace, I may have been mistreated because of my gender. He kindly helped me realize this was a possibility!
Do I have the good fortune of working with many male engineers (and other roles) who are truly fantastic, inspiring, talented, and kind and generous? Yes! This is what I have experienced more than anything. Some of them have become my heroes and others my good friends.
Here is the one tip I can give. Well, two. First, do what you love. If it's engineering, don't let a disproportionate male/female ratio stop you. But two, every work culture is different. So, if you ever find yourself in a toxic work environment (and you probably will!), leave. On the way out, tell them why you're leaving. Software Engineers, at least, are in huge demand, so leaving for another job is relatively easy. There are many reasons a work environment can be toxic. How you are treated because of your gender is only one of them. If you were male, this advice would still apply. It can take time to find an optimal work environment. I went from job to job before I found a healthy work culture. (I was not facing gender discrimination but very different kinds of problems.) I've been very happy for years and thoughts of gender almost never enter my mind.
One story to share: a talented ex-CEO was once an employee of my company. Because she was female, I asked her one day about how she's been treated due to her gender. Keep in mind this is not a women in engineering. She's just in business. She has been highly successful and is beyond inspirational. (How many men are CEOs?!) Her secret? Leave. If it ever gets bad, just leave. You can't (usually) change a culture, but you can find a culture which does not need changing. So, when interviewing, make sure you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. You need to find out if they are a healthy work culture.
Last, wherever you are in engineering, you have the opportunity to pave the way for more females to join and to help establish a more diverse work culture which is almost always more effective and even fun.
Jaclyn Schiffour, Esq.
Sr. Analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers
14
Answers
Columbia, South Carolina
Updated
Jaclyn’s Answer
Hi Abigail,
Any field of study in sciences are inherently difficult with the work load and the class structure, however, you absolutely should not be afraid of studying a field that is considered "male dominated." I studied Chemistry along with 4 other women in my graduating class of 30 (chemistry majors only!) and all of them have gone on to work successful careers as pharmaceutical chemists or they have continued their education. Science is especially important for women and you should definitely pursue your goals.
Don't ever be afraid of something that you're interested in simply because it's considered a male field. I think you would be surprised to find that more women are moving into these areas of study and more engineering firms are seeking intelligent women to bring diversity to the workplace. Be the role model that other women need to follow their goals and continue to break down the gender pay gap.
https://www.asme.org/career-education/articles/undergraduate-students/engineering-still-needs-more-women
https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/engineering-pay-gap-glassdoor-reveals-many-women-engineers-earn-less-than-men/
http://research.swe.org/
Any field of study in sciences are inherently difficult with the work load and the class structure, however, you absolutely should not be afraid of studying a field that is considered "male dominated." I studied Chemistry along with 4 other women in my graduating class of 30 (chemistry majors only!) and all of them have gone on to work successful careers as pharmaceutical chemists or they have continued their education. Science is especially important for women and you should definitely pursue your goals.
Don't ever be afraid of something that you're interested in simply because it's considered a male field. I think you would be surprised to find that more women are moving into these areas of study and more engineering firms are seeking intelligent women to bring diversity to the workplace. Be the role model that other women need to follow their goals and continue to break down the gender pay gap.
https://www.asme.org/career-education/articles/undergraduate-students/engineering-still-needs-more-women
https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/engineering-pay-gap-glassdoor-reveals-many-women-engineers-earn-less-than-men/
http://research.swe.org/