Women Engineers.... 44

[lacajun]

cranky108, I agree. Some adults test limits. I don't have problems with that. I have problems with people thinking, wittingly or unwittingly, another person should be the object of their unresolved baggage.

I don't have problems with people blending into various groups. If you are at a funeral, you don't act like you're at a party. What I have problems with is a person's scale of values changing as they move from group to group. Ethical behavior is not situational. At least, to me it is not. If you wouldn't "frag" a man, why "frag" a woman? If you wouldn't set a man up for failure, why set a woman up for failure? If you wouldn't circumvent a man, why circumvent a woman?

That's the way my little mind works. Maybe I'm weird and you're weard, which must be a heap better.

 

[cranky108]

Like all top down models, business tends to attract a type of people to the top. And if someone gets in the way of these people, they have to watch out.

For anyone young in there profession who dosen't know this, it is a problem. Sort of like in school.

It is all about power and ego for them. Where as engineers we tend to think more of the real world.

After all we hear about accounting scandles, but not engineering scandles.

 

[Dinosaur]

Sorry that I didn't have time to read all the posts above but I want to throw this out there.

Is it any more important to get women into engineering than it is to get men into hairdressing? If so, why?

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Diversity??? the latest buzz word in Human Resources - HR

 

[SAITAETGrad]

Hello Dinosaur,

Median wage of civil engineers in US: $82,280
Median wage of hairdressers & similar: $26,510

I would also say that while women are now earning more degrees in men they are not well represented in engineering. Our organizations are lacking the benefit of this educational prowess. Any engineering manager would be happy to have a stronger pool of candidates. Assuming enrollment levels hold,entrance requirements could be raised for universities and the profession would have a higher level of talent, creativity, and intelligence. Even if schools opened more spots, there is a much greater need for engineers and related professionals than for many others.

Some will also say that women generally perform better than men as communicators and have design skills.

Further, engineers perhaps "rule the world" but they do so for the benefit of all society. A diversity of perspective would seem to intuitively result in better products for all.

 

[SNORGY]

It is far more important to get women into engineering than it is to get men into hair dressing.

Imagine what the world would be like for intelligent men everywhere if women continued to believe that "static head" was something that required water and hair spray...

Regards,

SNORGY.

 

[SNORGY]

Now...before controversy erupts...for the record...

Some of the smartest people and best engineers I have ever worked with are women...

With senses of humour...and tolerance...

(I hope...)

Regards,

SNORGY.

 

[cranky108]

"A diversity of perspective would seem to intuitively result in better products for all."

So how do you explain the vidio tape industry, where VHS beat out Batamax? The Batamax was the better product, but the VHS makers just out spent Batamax on advertising.

Don't get me wrong, diversity works to a point. But can be over run by other factors.

Example: The company I work for is hireing people, but one of the factors is if the person fits with the group that exists. Diversity could mean people who don't get along.

 

[KENAT]

Dinosaur,

Did you have to pick hair dressing, couldn't you at least have picked something like Registered Nurses or similar?

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[cranky108]

Maybe because there are so many male Registered Nurses already.

Strange that Barbers, are and aren't allowed to do some things hair dressers are allowed. How are they different?

 

[graybeach]

Dinosaur's comment does show that subtle sexism exists in the engineering field. Why am I paid about 10% less than two male engineers in my department who have about the same amount of experience and responsibility as I do, neither of whom have master's degrees, and one of whom I can engineer circles around? Partly my fault for not negotiating hard enough when I started here. But partly not my fault. The gray haired male engineer boss who hired me may have subconsciously believed that I should feel lucky to be paid so much more than a hair dresser.

 

[cranky108]

How about the theory that a manager can save a company money, by paying the least he has to to keep people.

Worked here for a while. Other managers started picking employees out of the group.

But basically if they believe you won't leave, they will continue to pay you less.

I don't know your conditions, but I have to call things from my perspective, and experence. While some people see negitive, some see positive.

 

[KENAT]

graybeach, I've encountered similar and it's not 'cause I'm of the female persuasion. Now perhaps in your case that is the reason, but I'm just pointing out that it may not be.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[SWmechE]

http://www.taramohr.com/10rules/

Kind of an interesting blog post outlining one woman's views on how women can become more successful.

 

[GregLocock]

I realise I'm not the target audience but is that blog really helpful? And in what way is it helpful to women engineers and not men?

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[KENAT]

Quick read of that blog.

1. Perhaps a tad sexist.

2. I may be a brilliant Woman based on the opening paragraphs - who knew.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[beej67]

One thing I've definitely seen first hand, is the engineering field cannot seem to get their heads around the idea of maternity leave. They'd rather not hire a woman at all than take the risk that she might get pregnant and need to spend 3 months away from work. Women who are unmarried or not of birthing age seem to have a much easier time in the organizations I've worked in than married women of fertile age.

It's a tough nut to crack, because nobody wants to eat all that nonbillable time, but you can't exactly fire someone for getting pregnant.

I think if more engineering companies got off their asses and started truly figuring out the telework stuff it'd be a near non issue.

Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[KSor]

In Canada it's a year off work for maternity leave. I have an employee now on mat leave, she has been gone for 10 months. Not a problem, just hired someone on a 1 year contract to replace her while she's off.

 

[SWmechE]

For the blog I was wondering what other people's thoughts were. I didn't see it applying just to women either and thought of a couple different people I work with while reading... myself included on a point or two.

 

[lacajun]

SNORGY (Mechanical)
1 Oct 11 0:48
It is far more important to get women into engineering than it is to get men into hair dressing.

Imagine what the world would be like for intelligent men everywhere if women continued to believe that "static head" was something that required water and hair spray...

It was funny to me. You have to maintain a sense of humor in life. Without it, we'd be doomed.

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC