Women in technical professions in Upper Austria II

In 2001/2002, L&R Social Research compiled a report for the Public Employment Service (AMS) Upper Austria entitled “Women in technical professions in Upper Austria – results and recommendations”. Against the background of numerous initiatives and measures the question arose whether changes regarding this issue can be identified – both on a qualitative and on a quantitative level.

• Can changes be observed in the choice of profession and training of girls and young women, i.e. is there an increase in the interest of women in technical professions?
• How is the professional situation of women in technical professions? What are their advantages, what are their problems in these professions?
• What is the attitude of companies towards hiring and employing women in technical professions?

To find an answer to these questions, besides undertaking an analysis of published research, L&R Social Research analysed key data on the training and further education situation of women in technical fields as well as on their labour market situation. An additional core element of this study are the interviews with representatives and employees of Upper Austrian compa-nies, among them directors and/or human resources managers as well as women in technical professions.
The data shows that over the years there has been an upward trend regarding the proportion of women in technical education and training, especially in terms of higher education such as technical university studies. Regarding technical apprenticeships, however, there is a tendency towards a stagnation of the proportion of women. The overall percentage of women in technical professions in Upper Austria is currently approximately 14%, which indicates that there is a need for further action; above all since technical professions constitute an especially important segment of the Upper Austrian labour market.
Those women who have gained a foothold in technical professions are satisfied with their pro-fessional choice and their current work place above average. They especially regard as posi-tive the job itself, the workplace atmosphere, their freedom and the scope for creative devel-opment. On the other hand, many of the interviewees report that women in technical profes-sions have to show a very high level of commitment and they assess their income situation critically – especially in comparison to that of their male colleagues.