Women at Work
Author: Dyer, Susan K., Ed.
Date: 2003-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Females,Labor Market,Service Occupations,Information Technology,Labor Force,Change,National Surveys,Focus Groups,Educational Attainment,Marital Status,Employed Women,Working Hours,Part Time Employment,Teleworking,Equal Opportunities (Jobs),Demand Occupations,Wages

During the second half of the 20th century, the U.S. economy experienced unprecedented levels of growth and expansion. Most notably, the United States shifted from an industrial, goods-producing economy to one dominated by service industries and, more recently, by the emerging knowledge-based field of information technology. The increase of these service industries, many of which are female-dominated, has resulted in a rising demand for women's labor and has helped draw many women into the paid labor force. At the same time, the recent growth of information-and technology-related occupations has raised concern about women's economic positions and occupational prospects, mostly because these better-paying, higher-status occupations tend to be male-dominated. To better understand the nature of women's participation and success as workers in the new economy, the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation explored two principal questions: (1) How are women faring in today's economy?; and (2) What are the future prospects for women in the labor market? "Women at Work" examines these questions through national-level data comparing contemporary women with each other, contemporary men, and women of a generation ago. It looks at a combination of factors relevant to women's present status and future prospects in the labor market: women's levels of education and areas of study; women's marital and family status; women's participation and opportunities in the work force; and the conditions of today's work force, including levels of occupational segregation and prevalence of work-family programs and flexible work policies. The report provides rich data on the two principal questions and paints a portrait of women's economic and educational well-being on the cusp of the 21st century. Paying close attention to women's status in the new economy, one driven by service and knowledge-based industries, the report will be useful to anyone interested in the social and economic prospects of women for the next several decades. Moreover, given recent evidence from the Educational Foundation's "Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age" (2000) research that the growing electronic culture is leaving girls behind, "Women at Work" is equally significant to the educational and career preparation of young and adolescent girls. The findings from this research point to four primary areas of focus for future policy and advocacy activities on behalf of women and girls: (1) Increase educational access and opportunity for women and girls in underrepresented racial-ethnic communities; (2) Promote the benefits of education in computer science, engineering, mathematics, and technology to women and girls, and create opportunities and incentives for women and girls to pursue these fields; (3) Enhance women's education and training in financial management and economic self-sufficiency, particularly for single working mothers; and (4) Promote equitable access to flexible work arrangements and additional research on work-family policies and programs. Methodology is appended. (Contains 31 figures.)