Bridging the Gender Gap: A Canadian Study Examining Gender Inequality in Engineering Workplaces

Abstract

Despite considerable work to encourage women to enter the profession, engineering continues to be heavily male dominated. Research shows that women in engineering experience unequal treatment starting from their entry into the occupation. My research will discuss the experiences of gender inequality for women working in engineering fields by looking at the empirical literature examining the hiring process, chilly climates, hostile work environments, pay and promotion inequalities, and the challenges women engineers face due to competing identities and motherhood. I will show that the oppression and inequality of women reflects and perpetuates a culture that favors male-dominance and exclusionary practices within the engineering profession.