"Michael Coslo" wrote in message
...
K4YZ wrote:

The following is from the ARRL website...I brought over the first
paragraphs as a starting point. The remainder may be read in it's
entirety at www.arrl.org.

My question: Is this even an issue?

Kind of. There is a wide gender gap between men and women in the
engineering fields.


But people consider it more important than it really is. There's a gender
gap in the other direction in many fields.


But working in the field, they account for 9 percent of all U.S. engineers

There is a quote that shows up at several sites:

"Women still face gender-specific obstacles when studying and preparing
for careers in engineering and other sciences. There is solid evidence
that mentoring can help address this disparity" said Muller"

http://tinyurl.com/5lm92

Despite the prevalence of the quote, I'm not sure what the disparities
are.


I got into engineering in 1969 and didn't find any obstacles. So I don't
know what the disparities are either.



Or they can force 'em to go to "tech camp"

http://tinyurl.com/5m82m



Interestingly enough, there are High schools that place emphasis on
science and math. The enrollment in these schools is roughly equal, gender
wise. But the female students tend to gravitate to liberal arts, medicine
and law.

see
http://tinyurl.com/3umlf


Finally, I'm not sure what to think. I've discussed the issue with a woman
engineer I work with. Interestingly enough, she says she KNEW she wanted
to be an engineer from the time she was a kid. No forcing to go to camps.
She thinks the recruitment efforts are not going to work, because one does
not pick engineering like one may pick a major from a school catalog.


I knew I wanted to do something in the math/science/technical field but
didn't home in on engineering specifically until I was a junior in high
school. I tend to agree that the recruitment efforts will have little
impact as if you don't have the inclination you won't pick the field even if
recruited. Or if you do pick it, you won't stay with it.


Oh, and she says she hates being called a "Woman Engineer". "Engineer" by
itself will do just fine thank you!

A sample of one, of course, but perhaps a little telling.


Make that a sample of two as I agree wholeheartedly with that.

Maybe people who are interested in engineering get tin to it for that
reason, and people who are not into engineering do other things.

- Mike KB3EIA -


Ditto.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE