Engineering: What suits her best
Trends indicate women are inclined to taking up IT jobs
Recently, I attended a career fair organised by The Hindu Education Plus. At the event, I discovered that girls have 33 per cent of seats reserved for them in engineering colleges in almost all categories. However, the big question many of the parents were asking is which branch is actually suitable for their daughter?
To find an answer for this question, let us first refine it into three queries:
- Can a girl pursue and excel in any branch of engineering?
- Can she get a suitable job in any branch of engineering after graduation?
- Which branches of engineering are suitable for girls when they reach the age of 35, after they take up family responsibilities?
My answer to the first question is yes. In my mind, a girl who is good at studies can pursue any branch of engineering.
Research Findings: Entry-Level Trends (Ages 22-27)
I asked my team to pull out some data of 188 random resumes of female job-seekers with an engineering degree. The breakdown of branches pursued is as follows:
| Engineering Branch | Percentage of Pursuers |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | 45.76% |
| Electronics | 34.57% |
| Electrical | 14.3% |
| Mechanical | 3.72% |
| Civil | 1.59% |
Jobs after graduation: Of the 188 resumes, 78.19 per cent have taken up jobs in the areas of IT hardware or IT software, irrespective of their engineering branch. 12.81 per cent have taken up functional areas such as administration, HR, and logistics. Only 9 per cent are working in core engineering jobs.
Mid-Career Analysis (10-15 Years Experience)
When analyzing women engineers with over ten years of experience, the landscape shifts. 56.71 per cent are in an IT role, while 20.14 per cent are in engineering jobs. Interestingly, the percentage of women in core engineering jobs has come down from 20 (in the experienced group) to 9 (in the freshers group).
Why do women prefer IT jobs?
The first reason is that IT jobs provide two flexibility options — work from home and the ability to rejoin after a career break. The second reason is that the IT industry has better HR policies, including adequate maternity leave and the option to take a sabbatical. This is often not the case with core engineering jobs.
Exploring Core Engineering Disciplines
Electronics and Electrical
Core jobs are in design, development, and production. Production assembly is often found to be environment-friendly for women, though job opportunities in design remain limited in the private sector.
Mechanical
Women often shun manufacturing and maintenance roles because engagement with workmen is high, the job involves physical activity, or requires night shifts. They are more frequently found in design, materials, and production planning, though these roles are fewer in number.
Civil
Execution involves site visits, long commutes, and interaction with workmen, which many women are not comfortable with. Consequently, women civil engineers usually take up jobs in project planning and design, where site visits are not required.
Conclusion: Looking Toward the Future
To ensure a long-term career, women must still consider a few parameters before choosing the engineering branch:
- Which branch comes with more prospects of landing a job soon after completion?
- Which field readily welcomes women employees returning to work after a career break?
- Does the field allow seamless migration to a different functional role after a career break, if necessary?
