Gender Based Hiring Quotas in Australia 68

[Hurricanes]

So... I work for a large-ish consultancy in Australia. Recently they have introduced quotas. 50% of new hires must be female. Also, as there is a lack of female representation in senior positions, preference must be given to a female rather than a male when promotion time comes around.

I think this is all a bit backwards and trying too hard. With something like 15-20% of university graduates being female, a 50% minimum hiring rate is asking for trouble IMO.

What are peoples thoughts on this?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Based on the original definition, the first 'computers' WERE often women, which is why I suspect that that they a leg-up when actual computers, first mechanical and then electronic, come on the scene. If anyone has had the opportunity to see the recent movie 'Hidden Figures' you'll see this played-out in the film, which was based on actual historical events and real persons.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
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[HamburgerHelper]

I liked Hidden Figures but I wish they didn't include a few silly scenes. I thought the scene at the start of the movie was pretty silly with how they started their stalled car. One of the leads bypassed the starter motor with a screwdriver and some sparks flew and the motor started. If that is all it took to start a motor, why do we even have starter motors? I know they wanted to show that these women were mechanically inclined but they could have had them push start a diesel car or change up the scene somehow to show the same without being silly. I think if the same scene was played with male leads, they would have been given more credibility like with solution being tightening up the timing belt, something real that shows that yeah they know cars.

The second scene that I thought was a little silly was when one of the leads was trying to figure out how to solve those hard orbital differential equations. Costner ,the head NASA guy, is like "only if there was a different old method on how to do this?" and one of the black female leads brings up euler's method. I know they wanted to show that these women weren't just glorified accountants or calculators but it was kind of silly because NASA had already in the movie purchased these huge computers, which would have been used explicitly for the purpose of using numerical methods to solve differential equations. The movie makes it look like the computers were purchased before they figure out that they needed to use Euler's method ,an almost 200 year old method by one of the most famous mathematicians, to numerically solve their orbital equations. I get that movie wants to recognize their contributions and they should be recognized. The amount of harassment and belittlement shown in the movie was probably heavily marginalized to keep the movie light hearted. The hurdles they overcome to be recognized as legitimate contributors were likely larger than any technical problem they came across.

 

[Compositepro]

I have not seen the movie, but I have used a screwdriver or wrench to bypass a bad starter solenoid on numerous occasions. And the sparks do fly.

 

[GregLocock]

There's two possibilities - dud solenoid or dud ignition key. In the latter case energise the solenoid from the battery positive. Small sparks.

In the case of dud solenoid after hitting it with a hammer just to be sure then short battery + to starter motor + (the two big cables on the solenoid).

You won't damage the battery. You will melt steel and copper.

None of this is much good if the starter itself is broked.





Cheers

Greg Locock


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[HamburgerHelper]

The movie didn't portray it as being the solenoid because you could hear the starter turn.