Why is the pipeline leaking?: experiences of young women in STEM vocational education and training and their adjustment strategies

Purpose: The paper investigates the perceptions of young women during their vocational education and training (VET) in traditionally male-dominated STEM fields - science, technology, engineering, and mathematics - by analyzing mechanisms and actions addressing the female gender in gender-atypical career fields and reveals strategies young women apply when adjusting to the male-dominated educational and professional fields. Design/methodology/approach: The data originate from semi-structured interviews with young women (N = 71) who had chosen a STEM career and who were enrolled in VET in...  [+] Show more

Purpose: The paper investigates the perceptions of young women during their vocational education and training (VET) in traditionally male-dominated STEM fields - science, technology, engineering, and mathematics - by analyzing mechanisms and actions addressing the female gender in gender-atypical career fields and reveals strategies young women apply when adjusting to the male-dominated educational and professional fields. Design/methodology/approach: The data originate from semi-structured interviews with young women (N = 71) who had chosen a STEM career and who were enrolled in VET in Swiss secondary schools.

Results: The results indicate different processes of gendering in VET, uncovering various mechanisms and symbolic actions which contribute to the (re-)production of a masculine culture in STEM professions. Furthermore, the study provides insight into the different strategies young women apply in order to adjust to gender-atypical educational and professional life domains. Implications: The paper calls for the visibility of gender inequality in VET in order to make changes toward less female dropout in STEM fields. Moreover, the paper also presents implications for [human resources] HR professionals and practitioners and provides suggestions for debates about the shortage of (female) STEM workers. Originality/value: Little is known about women's experience in gender-atypical tracks of VET. There is still a need to plug the leaks, i.e., reduce female attrition, in the STEM pipeline.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.