Participation of Women in

Career and Technical Education

Chapter 6

Overview

This chapter addresses the historical work roles of woman in career and technical education, legislative break through affecting woman, and selected problems associated with sex equity.

Roles of Woman in CTC

In the Early Nineteenth Century women became

apart of the labor force in textile factories or by selling or trading fruits and vegetables.

women was still seen as stay at home, tending to families and home.

Roles of Woman in CTCWomen were

Trained in domestic and ornamental capacity. It was seen as the duty of a woman

Instructions were geared towards becoming good mothers or good mistresses of their families

Roles of Woman in CTCExperiential learning

Boys learned to saw, dig and cultivate gardens

Girls learned spinning, weaving, cooking, and sewing. More likely targets for moral instruction because they were responsibly for maintaining a moral home environment.

Roles of Woman in CTC

During World War I and World War IIShortage of male workers and the industrial

expansion necessitated by war created many jobs for women.

Kansas State Agricultural College in 1874 allowed woman to take courses in drawing, carving and engraving.

Roles of Woman in CTC

During the Civil WarWomen were employed as government clerks.Congress appropriated funds for salaries for

female government clerksWomen were paid less than half of men who

are working the same jobs.Women were limited in labor-force and wage

due to their gender

Legislative Affecting Woman

The Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 provided the first federal funding for public school programs in agriculture, trade, industrial, and home economics education

The first three programs were specially designed for males, and home economics was included to provide women with an education for homemaking.

Legislative Affecting Woman

Equal Pay Act of 1983This act, considered the first significant

legislation relating to vocational equity, called for the end of discrimination on the basis of sex in payment of wages for equal work.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964Prohibits discrimination in employment on the

basis of sex, race, color, religion, and national rights.

Legislative Affecting Woman

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972Banning discrimination on the basis of sex in

education.Provided that “no person in the United States shall,

on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

Legislative Affecting Woman

The Women’s Educational Equity Act of 1974Provided for funding of projects to advance

education between women and men.

Fishel and Potter (1977)Noted that this act provided for expansion and

improvement of programs for women in vocational education and career education.

Legislative Affecting Woman

Educational Amendments of 1976Appropriate the first funds for sex equity in

conventional programsRequire the development and

implementation of programs to eliminate sex discrimination, sex bias, and sex role stereotyping.

Legislative Affecting Woman

Each State was required to employ a full time sex equity coordination to

Provide specific leadership in eliminating those barriers that inhibit equal access to vocational education

Offer technical assistance to local educatorsDevelop a public relations program

Legislative Affecting WomanCarl D Perkins Vocational Education

Act in 1984Increased emphasis was placed on gender

equity in vocational education programsStates were directed to set aside funds for

single parents, homemakers, and displaces homemaker and to eliminate sex bias and stereotype

Equity Status in Career and Technical Education

In the seven traditional CTE programs areas, six tend to be heavily sex typed. Marketing attracts both gender.

Nontraditional CTE ProgramsIn 1971-1972 school year, nearly three

million girls and women were enrolled in occupationally specific high school and postsecondary programs.

Women’s enrollment were primarily in home economics, health occupations and office occupations

Segregation continues despite gains made

Nontraditional CTE Programs

Women were at disadvantage in selecting and completing gender- nontraditional, CTE programs that would lead to higher payer jobs

It was noted that women would need special supported

services to succeed in completing preparation for male- intensive employment.

Nontraditional CTE Programs

Burge (1990) To make-up for women inequality in higher-

paying jobs is to learn more about the techniques for changing workplace inequalities and to develop strategies to improve Affirmative Action programs.

Opportunities for Girls and Women

Provide career exploration activities

Provide information on nontraditional careers to families

Select texts and materials free from sex bias

Provide women students with role models

Treat students equally

Develop mentorship programs

Bring nontraditional students and workers to the attention of all students through panel presentations and career-day conferences.

Recognize the achievements of nontraditional students

Include assertiveness training as part of an overall curriculum

Work with employers to assist then in obtaining highly skilled worker, regardless of gender.

Selected Problems Associated with Sex Equity

Sex stereotyping- Learned thought processes often associate women with specific, often submissive, feminine roles and men with masculine , dominant roles.

Sex-role spillover- sometimes male workers will act out against female co-workers because they don’t meet their expectation of “affectionate” female behavior.

Pack mentality- the majority group often holds members of a minority to a higher standard.

Somebody else’s problem- male co-workers (or students) often fail to see any potential for harassment in their behavior because they believe only the behavior of supervisors can contribute to sexually hostile environment.

Sex Bias and Sex StereotypingIn the late 1960s and 1970s, it was concluded that interests in

occupations perhaps tended to be sex stereotyped more for “real” choices than for “ideal” choices.

At the high school level students in programs nontraditional for their sex, whether male or female, held higher self-concepts than their counterparts in traditional programs.

On the whole, males were found to have more positive self-concepts than females.

Employers of nontraditional vocational graduates indicated that sex stereotypes are a major barrier to such employment.

HarassmentIn 1978, the largest problem identified by women students in

nontraditional high school vocational education programs was harassment by male classmates.

Between 1991 and 1996, the percentage of companies that reported at least one sexual harassment claim grew from 52 percent to 72 percent.

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act requires state and local administrators to show how their plans will increase opportunities for women in careers that are not traditional for their gender.

Lack of SupportFor nontraditional completers of vocational programs,

friends, relatives, and school personnel were perceived as less helpful than for completers of more traditional choices.

Houser and Garvey, in studying California women in vocational education programs, found that nontraditional students differed form traditional students primarily in the support received from female friends and family members.

Recognizing these problems and others related to male sex-role stereotyping can help vocational educators identify equity as an area that benefits both sexes.

Institute for Women in Trades, Technology , and Science

(IWITTIS)

IWITTS is a national nonprofit 501(c)3 organization founded in 1994.

IWITTS helps educators nationwide close the gender gap for women and girls in male dominated careers, such as technology, the trades and law enforcement.

IWITTS offers training to educators and other materials to help teach, promote and recruit women in the STEM areas.

www.itwitts.com

Revisitation of Title IXGender Segregation in CTE at

the High School Level

Many of us have heard of Title IX and athletics. Title IX is much more.

Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in education.

There is success with Title IX but there is still gender segregation in CTE.

It is noticable in our Agriculture classes, Business Classes, Family Consumer Sc

Revisitation of Title IXGender Segregation in CTE at the High School

Level Many of us have heard of Title IX and

athletics. Title IX is much more.

Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. There is success with Title IX but there is still gender segregation in CTE.

Examples

Family & Consumer Science The Home Economics stigma is still

present, males are less likely to sign up for classes or participate in FCCLA.

Technology Classes Because some of the classes the students

are constructing and using power tools many females are less likely to sign up for classes.

During TSA events the number female students are fewer than other CTSO’s.

Examples

Agriculture classes The number of females in welding

classes or the number of males in horticulture

The type of projects or events majority of the females enter as a FFA member.

Business Classes There are few males who take business

classes compared to other CTE classes. Because of the stigma with secretary

duties With FBLA you see majority males or

females in an event as well. With DECA there are more male

students but there is still difference you see with the event entries.

Many of the gender segregation is by choice and because of stigma’s related with the CTE programs.

Workforce Participation of Women in Developing Countries

In many developing countries women still experience unequal access to training due to cultural, religious, and society differences.

Access to training programs for the unemployed underrepresented women because

a. Women are not registered as unemployed

b. Programs lack support provisions as child care

c. Male focused occupations are targeted

d. Women’s work is not properly accounted for in many countries such as Muslim countries due to cultural factors.

Access to training is there but discrimination in employer-provided training especially affect women.

Employers are less likely to invest in initial or further training for women because of their higher rates of job-learning due to family responsibilities, and because of this they may be part-time or temporary workers.

Studies show that development projects and programs often fail because women are left

out of the development process.

Programs focusing on education and training for women should do the following:

5. Establish partnerships to build commitment, extend resources, and

improve effectiveness.

6. Develop a multifaceted approach to address gender issues

a) Awareness raising and

promotional/advocacy campaign

b) Career information sand counselor

services

c) Professional development

d) Mentors

e) Work base learning

f) Parental involvement

Implication for the Workforce Education

1. Support and actively contribute to the future development of basic education and literacy programs

2. Examine practices that may contribute to gender-related socialization patterns leading to segregated occupation

3. Develop strategies that effectively engage and sustain individuals in nontraditional occupations

4. Emphasize programs that meet the needs of the information age