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…

This article examines the impact on work culture when men work in kindergartens. In Norway, as in other countries there has been a call for more male staff in kindergartens. Increasing the amount of men may imply that institutionalized norms and practice are put under pressure. By using a case study approach, the focus is on employees' experiences…

Despite the fact that approximately half of high school physics students are female, only 21% of physics bachelor's degrees are awarded to women. In a previous study, drawn from a national survey of college students in introductory English courses, five factors commonly proposed to positively impact female students' choice of a physical science…

One educator's attempt to pique girls' interest in nontraditional careers in the Seattle School District led to the creation of the now-international nonprofit IGNITE (Inspiring Girls Now in Technology Education). From its humble beginnings, IGNITE has impacted the lives of more than 20,000 girls, with thousands more across the globe each year.…

Men are choosing to enter nontraditional careers with greater frequency. In this article, the authors examine nontraditional career choices made by men and review current empirical literature relevant to this topic. Gottfredson's (1981, 1996) theory of circumscription and compromise and Holland's (1997) career choice theory are used as frameworks…

In Texas, there is an increase in the enrollment of men of various ethnicities in nursing schools, especially Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) programs. As these men strive to complete the nursing education, they face many concerns that center on barriers that are encountered in what is still a predominately Caucasian and female environment. In…

Gender equity initiatives in education have been launched in the state of Vermont in an attempt to level the playing field in gender-specific programs, but when it's all said and done, the question on the progress in career and technical education still remains. This article shares personal experiences of two students at Vermont's Stafford…

While gender stereotyping of occupations has been investigated, the relationship between such stereotypes and job status has received less attention. Two studies were conducted in which assessments of occupational gender stereotyping were compared with assessments of occupational prestige made by the same subjects. In study one, subjects were 20…

Growing awareness that gender is irrelevant to performance of most jobs has caused an influx of women into traditionally male fields and of males into traditionally female fields. This article presents the results of a survey of attitudes of those who employ such nontraditional workers. (Author)

Discusses the problems and rewards of two women entering a traditionally male occupation. (JOW)

Investigated how researchers have operationalized gender-concentrated occupations and educational settings in over 30 studies. The literature reviewed indicated that one of the most important issues in pursuing investigations of occupational gender concentrations is the development of methods to define and measure atypical or nontraditional…

Socialization messages about women's work options in "established" and "new" women's magazines were analyzed. Findings suggest that established magazines are more likely to profile women in traditional occupations and that women profiled in the new magazines are more likely to feel more responsible and powerful at work. (KH)

Research on women in atypical occupations has generally focused on highly educated women and has neglected to compare atypically employed women to equally educated women in sex-typical occupations. Since the median American worker has only 13.6 years of schooling, the lack of research on the personality characteristics of noncollege-degreed women…

The author surveyed the attitudes of 1,551 North Carolinians toward sexual discrimination and nontraditional work roles. Sixty-three percent of all respondents thought that women had not been treated equally with men in being allowed to earn enough money to support themselves independently. Women were significantly different than men in their…

Initiation and outcome of a program designed to promote trade work among women is outlined and analyzed in light of occupational aspiration. Results indicate that the program increased the frequencies of women entering nontraditional trades. However, an employment slump curtailed its impact, highlighting the relevance of occupational compromise…