Context: The persistent low female participation in male-dominated trades and VET courses is not attracting a high level of public attention and policy action. There are determined, albeit ad hoc actions by advocates to raise awareness of the economic and social benefits that can result from increased female participation in the male-dominated…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the issues affecting successful employment outcomes for young women in male-dominated careers, focusing on those generally accessed via a traditional Australian apprenticeship model. Current patterns of participation in trades-based fields of education and training reinforce the highly…

An Australian study of 62 women in traditionally male-dominated areas of vocational education found most teachers and male classmates were unsupportive, and the atmosphere was generally oppressive. Sexual discrimination and harassment, isolation, pressure to perform were typical. The women were strong-minded and successful, and most support came…

A survey of Year 12 Australian students in coed private (n=105), coed public (n=57), and all-female (n=78) schools revealed a relationship between gender-role identity and traditional/nontraditional career choices; occupations were more gender neutral, but blue- and pink-collar jobs remain stereotyped. Type of school did not influence girls'…

A study of 118 adult women students, with children, in 3 Australian universities found 3 major factors in withdrawal: socioeconomic class (lack of family support for mother's study, lack of money, domestic responsibilities, lack of needed skills); nontraditional major (economics, business, law); and age (younger students because of family or…