Despite improvements in gender equality, there is a long way to go in the workplace. For many females starting out in employment, it can still seem like a man’s world that women are allowed to work in. Some sectors are still heavily male-dominated. Yet that is about to change, and there are several traditionally male industries where women are making waves.
Team Sport
Sport has often been an area split into male and female sectors. While some sports such as athletics have placed women on the same level as men, many team sports have been lacking. Sponsorships and television rights have gone to the male leagues in everything from Rugby to Basketball. In some sports, there are signs that it is gradually changing.
The recent Women’s European Cup in Football was an indicator of how female team sports can capture a zeitgeist. Placed on prime-time television across Europe, it occupied slots primarily reserved for major male competitions. To back it, it had viewing figures that matched.
All this was bolstered by the fact that the final came down to England against Germany, a long-standing rivalry in the men’s game. A great indicator of consumer sentiment other than viewing figures was in the large amounts of football betting placed on the competition. Bookmaker William Hill was giving odds of 8/11 with an enhanced odds special of 5/6 going into the final. A range of bets could also be made on the Golden Boot Winner. All this showed a renewed interest in the sport, which must be financially appealing to sponsors and backers.
Aviation
The global aviation industry has recently had trouble due to a lack of staffing. With flight cancellations and airport chaos, a bid to recruit and train more staff, including women, is taking place.
Pilots in particular are predominantly from a white male background. Many of them come into the job through military licenses, also a field typically male-occupied. This makes it hard for women to get into the job, with only about 7% of airline pilots being female.
Women in Aviation International is a non-profit organization that aims to encourage women in aviation and aerospace. From engineering to piloting, they have a range of scholarship awards to help more females enter the field. With networking opportunities, conferences and resources, they are slowly breaking down stereotypes bit by bit.
Farming
Farming is still a male-dominated industry, particularly in the US where around 24% of farmers are women. It is an industry that pays well, where a college degree is not required. With easy access routes, it is surprising that more women have not taken on the chance to earn a living in agriculture. This is in contrast to around 43% of farmers elsewhere in the world who are female.
A recent article in National Geographic set out the obstacles that are preventing women from entering the farming industry. The most obvious of these is land and the rights to it. In some parts of the world, people still do not even have the right to hold land at all. Another obstacle is gender bias when it comes to granting credit to buy the land required. Specialist farmer’s banks for agricultural purposes are a great way for anyone wanting to get industry financing and do not discriminate on gender bias.
