Historically, women in the workforce have been limited by ridiculous social and cultural norms that obligated them into domestic and subservient job roles. However, decades of women’s suffrage and the resilience of women have led us to a point that was once completely unimaginable.
Whether by choice or necessity, women continually create a space for themselves in the professional world and push the boundaries of old-fashioned, traditional gender roles.
The increase of women in the workforce we see today is not only a testament to positive social change but also serves as a symbol of resilience and outstanding progress.
When outdated boundaries once created barriers, women in the workforce rose above them throughout the 1960s and 1980s. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an all-time high was reached in 1999 when 60% of the workforce was made up of women. Following this peak, we saw a decrease throughout the 2000s. However, the percentage of women in the workforce seems to be rising back to its former peak.
As of March 2024, women in the workforce are coming up to another peak of 57.5%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the highest percentage of women in the workforce since the years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It appears that women are picking up the momentum they once had.
According to CNN Business, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the percentage of women in the workforce was rising faster compared to their male counterparts. Female-dominated industries, such as health care and caregiving, were among the fastest-growing industries. Educational attainment for women also rose substantially and women also made greater inroads into traditionally male-dominated fields such as construction, agriculture and repair and maintenance.
This principle seems to apply heavily to the industry of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Whereas women once held only a small 23.6% of the STEM workforce in 1999, according to the National Science Foundation, women in STEM are at an all-time high at 35% of the workforce, according to the NGC project. Additionally, 50% of degrees in science and engineering are earned by women with 24% in engineering, 21% in computer science and 24% in physics.
Basically, women in STEM are shattering glass ceilings, continuing to push the boundaries of expectation and kicking butt.
Notably, women in all career fields are becoming more likely to pursue higher levels of education. So, let’s shine a spotlight on some other fields of incredible women shall we? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 1970 to 2020, the percentage of women ages 25 to 64 in the labor force who held a college degree more than quadrupled. In 2020, 47.2% of women ages 25 to 64 held a bachelor’s degree and higher, compared with 11.2% in 1970.
While the data is encouraging, there is still room to grow. There are still glass ceilings yet to be shattered.
