Sticking it out: how influence and inclusion motivate women to stay in civil engineering

Abstract

This study advances current knowledge of what influences women to leave engineering, and what affects their advancement in the engineering profession. We know that engineering continues to be a male-dominated profession, with the low numbers of women in engineering resulting from a combination of few women entering the profession and high numbers of women leaving the industry. This study uses interviews with 13 women who currently work within the civil engineering profession in New Zealand, and have at least 10 years of experience in the industry, to analyse the factors that might contribute to women leaving, or wanting to leave, the profession, as well as factors contributing to their advancement and job satisfaction. The findings of this study indicate that women associate influence with positive work experiences and that exclusive work environments contribute to an intent to leave.