WOMENG

1. WOMENG REPORTS D10 and D13 Lyon WP leaders meeting May 20

2. REPORTS D10 and D13 Key stages of choice for career entry and career development, impact of different factors and opportunities for intervention Dr Maureen Cooper Cloé Pinault Dr André Béraud

3. REPORTS D10 and D13 1 – How students imagine their professional life 2 – Reality of women in high position in Europe : facts and figures 3 – Key moments : - the first job 4 – Key moments : - having children - promotion - dual career 5 – recommendations: 6 - Conclusions

4. REPORTS D10 and D13 Chapter 1 - It is likely that I will be working in an engineering related field in 7 years from now

5. REPORTS D10 and D13 Chapter I :” As an engineer you would like to : work in the research sector work in the production sector work as a team leader work as a manager to have the possibility to use initiatives have responsibilities achieve something meet people use all my potential do some interesting activities be well considered have promotion possibilities ”

6. REPORTS D10 and D13

7. REPORTS D10 and D13 “Do you agree with these perceptions of engineering professionnal life ? To have to work long hours To have too many/heavy managerial responsibilities To have a heavy work load To have problem with work life balance To have problem bringing up children To have problem with dual career relationship To work with machines rather than with people ”

8. REPORTS D10 and D13

9. REPORTS D10 and D13 Chapter 1 Conclusions - Women and men have the same motivations and the same expectations - Deep differences between countries : situations could be changed - The support from family exists ewerywhere (noticeable exception : Slovaquia). Parents in Europe support their chidren when they want to study engineering. - The image of engineering in term of career is globally positive.

10. REPORTS D10 and D13 Chapter 2 : The reality about women careers 2-1 General background

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18. REPORTS D10 and D13 Chapter 3 : First job Maureen and Kush

19. The approach we took to analysing ‘the first job’ From the perspective of The Company (IHRM, IWCM) The Young Engineer (FGEX) The Woman Engineer Manager (IWEM) The Woman Engineer who quit (IWEQ)

20. The questions we wanted to answer Company’s Perspective Company’s initiatives to recruit women and help them to settle into work life. Study work transition Ease of access of training Criteria for promotion Job expectation Non- standard entry routes Work atmosphere

21. The questions for FGEX FGEX perspective Why they chose engineering Why they chose the company Student to trainee engineer transition Induction to the company Training by the company Company initiatives to assist (the transition) The working atmosphere and job satisfaction Expectations of women engineer Working relationships with men and women Career expectations

22. The questions for WEM Women Managers’ Perspective Why they chose engineering Why they chose the company Student to trainee transition experience Induction Training Company’s initiative to assist The working atmosphere Expectations of women engineer Working relationship Career expectations Advice for young engineers

23. The questions for WEQ Women engineers who quit perspective Why they chose engineering Why they chose the company Student to trainee transition experience Induction Training Company’s initiative to assist The working atmosphere Expectations of women engineer Working relationship Career expectations Why they quit?

24. Company’s Perspective Company’s initiatives to recruit women vary widely – positive discrimination in GP company in Finland (if there is a man and a woman for a job they will choose the woman) because they want female thinking . It is common to have links with schools and university departments and for students to work while they complete their studies quota systems in the GP company in France they saw it as the only way to increase the numbers of women Targeting women at recruitment fairs in Austria and Germany and having special events for women Using gender sensitive language in adverts in Austria The gp company in the UK does a lot to recruit males and females including school visits, women engineers will go to girls schools (In England) In Greece women and men are treated the same Nothing special to recruit women in Slovakia but the situation is improving now there are foreign investors

25. Study work transition varies significantly In Finland they support men and women equally IN France the energy company has regular information sessions near the canteen, more women attend A GP company holds a ‘Welcome Newcomers Program’ to its new staff in Austria quarterly, German recruits have a one week orientation. Bright recruits get special training In Greece there is a 3 month practical exercise jointly between the GP company and the universities In Slovakia in the GP company there is a 3 month orientation and a mentor is assigned, usually the head and the other company has a 1.5 year training with new placements each 6 months In UK the GP company has wide range of initiatives to support all recruits, including on-line induction, masterclasses, opportunities for graduate recruits to network with their peers from all around the world, mentoring (Mentor from a different section), 4 years training to reach chartered status. The energy company has 2 years training, with different placements, also a mentor appointed.

26. Ease of access of training Sometimes the boss alone decides who gets training, sometimes the boss with HR. In most companies it’s fairly transparent and there’s equal access for men and women In France the GP company has training placements to select promising recruits and it ensures men and women equally trained Not clear if equal access to training in Austria – lack of money can restrict availability, much of the training is demand led to solve problems rather than to prevent them Some companies are introducing extensive formal training in Slovakia, especially when there are foreign investors but in other companies it is still not transparent and can be seen as a reward for selected people rather than a right for everyone. Traditionally training is carried out at weekends making it actually more difficult for women to attend. By contrast Finnish GP company expects everyone to spend 20% of work time on training and creative activities. Women tend to attend more frequently. IN the UK the training programs are specified in conjunction with the professional bodies. Team leaders, mentors, project leaders, individuals can all suggest training.

27. Criteria for promotion In Finland, Greece and UK companies claim the criteria for promotion are transparent and objective. In Germany there is less transparency. Slovakia is introducing programs to train people for management. France appears not to have an equal program for promotion as women may not be told about promotion possibilities or invited to apply Fast tracking exists in many companies

28. Job expectation Generally reported that women meet the same expectations as men – they are expected to be able to construct products, and achieve the same targets, and to be entrepreneurs (Finland) but they are seen as being better team leaders (Finland), more careful and better finishers (Slovakia), as not wanting to be ‘male engineers’ (Austria) which enhances diversity in the teams

29. Work atmosphere Generally reported to be very good. The Finnish GP HR view is even one woman in a team upgrades the quality of the results. In France it is like a Tower of Babel in the good practice company. In the energy company there is hostility towards women but less from department managers than from directors In Slovakia one company is shedding staff as it undergoes reorganisation so the atmosphere is tense

30. Key observations FGEX Most women chose engineering because of interest, or role models in the family (France) but under communism in Slovakia many were directed into engineering who would have chosen something else. Many had worked in summer jobs with their company. The two UK companies have reputations for providing good training and that influenced choices. Applying quotas at the GP company in France created problems for women – They feel that because of the quota system women are judged and criticized for being ‘quota women’ and considered less competent. The culture seems to have hardened against them. The boss influences the work atmosphere (France) The economic situation influences the work atmosphere (Germany) Women shouldn’t be too sensitive to comments (Austria) Women have to be as good as the men – no excuses. If they make mistakes – what else can you expect from a woman while men make mistakes – these things happen (Slovakia)

31. Career expectations The Finnish women seem to view engineering as an interesting job – they are channelled to marketing and information officer positions, and some go to research but almost none to production The French women accept that they are less suited to top management because they are less mobile because they will have children and could not be committed to career if they were part-time Slovakian women observe men being groomed for promotion despite the official ‘line’. Men earn more. Women rarely progress beyond middle management although it is improving UK women expected to complete their training for chartered engineer before deciding about having family. Several wanted to stay in a technical job rather than progress to management

32. Key observations WEM Most had no problem being in a minority although one or two said their competencies were questioned at the beginning. Once they proved themselves things were generally fine. One Greek engineer found she had some problems with workmen on site. No-one in Germany, Greece of Austria talked about career expectation

33. Key observations WEQ Very few of the questions answered – little information about training, induction Like WMEM and some FGEX women, some had their competence questionned but once they showed they could do the job it was OK. Most felt positive about work as an engineer but some who went part-time found that meetings were organised when they couldn’t be there One left because of problems with a male colleague and some because they felt very unsupported by their bosses when they dealt with contractors or other workers

34. REPORTS D10 and D13 Chapter 4 Cloé Key moments : - Promotion and mobility - Children - Dual career

35. REPORTS D10 & D13 Chapter 4 Key moments : - Having Children - Dual Career - Promotion & Mobility - Solutions

36. REPORTS D10 & D13 Having Children - Maternity is a problem: A fear of maternity: how to achieve a good work life balance? - Maternity leaves systems: more or less advantageous (fecundity rate may be an interesting indicator)

37. REPORTS D10 & D13 Where is the maternity’s problem located? - Work life (France, Finland) (Higher fecundity rates & advantageous maternity leave system)

38. REPORTS D10 & D13 - Family life (UK, Slovakia, Greece) Lower fecundity rates for Slovakia & Greece, disadvantageous maternity leave system (not UK: advantageous maternity leave system) - Incompatibility between work & family life (Austria, Germany, middle fecundity rates & disadvantegeous maternity leave system)

39. REPORTS D10 & D13 Maternity is a pressure - Social pressure: to be a good mother - Pressure induced by Companies: all availability & suspicion

40. REPORTS D10 & D13 It does not cause dropping out from engineering jobs - Solutions are proposed to women (parental leave, part time, flexible working hours, teleworking) - These solutions are generally taken by women

41. REPORTS D10 & D13 it is a real brake towards promotion and career evolution - Even if these solutions are making part of a policy in favour of women, it represent brakes (almost all these solutions are expected to be directed to only mothers and not fathers)

42. REPORTS D10 & D13 Promotion & Mobility - France, Austria, UK, Germany, and Finland more or less evocated the mobility problem. It is clearly linked to promotions. You have to play the mobility game, even if it’s entering inside the work life balance.

43. REPORTS D10 & D13 UK and Slovak women engineers would not be asked to be mobile: Slovakian female engineers make family their priority number one, and UK female engineers have rare offers of mobility, because of part time jobs.

44. REPORTS D10 & D13 Solutions proposed by companies - Good Practices Company Special policies for women, but the brakes for promotion, even if they’re not said, still exist: all availibility is a hidden factor for promotion! Nevertheless, work life balance achievement is facilitated

45. REPORTS D10 & D13 non Good Practices Company Mothers who would benefit of solutions proposed by companies (part time jobs, flexibility working hours, teleworking) are asked to be as flexible and available as the female engineers who are not mothers in the company: no special policy!

46. REPORTS D10 and D13 Chapter 5 : Comments and recommendations 5-1 comments - Equality of criteria for recrutment : competences and not gender ! - When women have been recruted : everybody is happy - Lots of persons do not seem to be relaxed with the subject : lots of excuses !

47. REPORTS D10 and D13 At first there is no difference between men and women, differences appear later : around 30 Unions do not seem to consider the problem as important : lip service Heavy social, historical and cultural background : essential to understand

48. REPORTS D10 and D13 5-2 recommendations - Combine legal mesures and company policies Mesures should be not the same in all the countries Special mentor programs for women managers, Unions, work councils, associations have to be involved Precise programs with objectives and evaluation, as close as possible to the reality of the people

49. REPORTS D10 and D13 - Gender perspective in integration programs - Systematic communication on gender questions raised in the company (social life, meetings etc. . .) - Help young engineers to have a prospective vision of their future - Annual evaluation of career perspective - Value equally careers in management and technical expertise - adaptation of buildings, working rooms, offices

50. REPORTS D10 and D13 - For high potential persons : no age limits for women - For future managers : analysis of specific problems - work on a long term basis with Higher education institutions : strong relations, cooperation, - Strong involvment of high management - Clear policy regarding gender questions : texts, programs, committes devoted to that policy - Publish a pluriannual program for positions in the company

51. REPORTS D10 and D13 - During parental leave, keep some kind of social and professional connection (information about possible jobs in the company, news, training programs etc. . ) - Organisation at the best level (company, area, city. . ) of kinder gardens - Life rules in the company : language, attitudes . . - clear criteria for recrutment and promotion - obligation to find women candidates for high Position - Emphasize the success of women managers in the company and outside - valorisation of women involved in technology

52. REPORTS D10 and D13 Conclusion : A work in progress which should be finished . . . . soon