The female of the species - Viewpoint - careers advice blog Viewpoint careers advice blog

The female of the species - Viewpoint - careers advice blog It’s a sign of how far women have come in science when the latest collection of iconic Lego Mini-figures features a female scientist. So in 2014, are there as many advantages as disadvantages to being a woman working in what many perceive to be a male-dominated industry? Women dominate undergraduate science classes In the UK in 2010, men were 6 times more likely to work in science, engineering and technology than women. Yet, at university, female undergraduates marginally outnumber males in the science department. In 2013, 52.6% of science undergraduates were female. The ratios change as you delve deeper and look at the number of men and women in each separate science-based faculty, with males dominating computer science and engineering. A look at medicine and dentistry reveals a 60/40 split in favour of females compared to a 60/40 split in favour of males in mathematical science. But women overwhelmingly dominate subjects allied to medicine, with over 80% of undergraduates being female. With so many female undergraduates studying science and associated subjects, why is there an imbalance of the sexes when it comes to industry? Prospect, the UK trade union for professionals, including those working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), recently conducted a survey of its female members working in STEM. While a third of respondents felt that being female had hindered their career, a number actually felt that it had helped their career. Disadvantages of being female in STEM 40% of women working in STEM reported that industry-wide attitudes were the reason behind their feeling that their career was hindered by their gender. This included feelings that they were not taken seriously because they were women and the practicalities of being female and working in a male-dominated environment. A number of respondents also highlighted that long hours and the need to work away from home were incompatible with family life. Advantages of being female in STEM But it’s not all doom and gloom. Of those women working in STEM who felt being female had helped their career, 53% revealed that their sex gave them higher visibility within the industry. So it would seem, being in the minority is an advantage to some; when you take a stand on an issue, people take more notice and remember you more easily, perhaps? Many also felt that their possession of ‘softer skills and traits’, which we interpret as negotiation and communication skills, was a definite help to them. What now? Research conducted in the US by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) suggests that a deep-rooted bias exists, which associates science as a male career and arts as a female one. As much as companies reject sexist attitudes and put equality policies at the top of their priorities, many women in STEM are still struggling to reach board level for one reason or another. We’ll be exploring these issues further and looking at the pipeline of female talent in science in different parts of the world. We’ll also be exploring some of initiatives that are being taken to prevent the trickle of women out of science careers. Are you a woman working in Life Sciences? Do you feel empowered as a woman and confident that the glass ceiling is a thing of the past? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Join the Life Sciences Industry Insights with Hays LinkedIn group to share your thoughts and stay up-to-date with the latest on business, employment and recruitment news in the life sciences industry. Join the conversation