Recently I came across the fact that men are losing jobs at a higher rate than women, partly because there are more women in the job market today and those areas typically held by women are less prone to layoffs (teaching, nursing) and more men than women work in manufacturing and construction. Women's happiness is more recession proof than men -- men value money while women value relationships.
Over time women have been gaining an edge in education, starting in 1977 when women began to outnumber men obtaining associate degrees -- right when I was finishing my sophomore year of college, heading into my junior year. I've watched my son and daughters grow up in this environment of girls succeeding academically and women now hold the edge on men in gaining academic credentials.
More stats, including chart at left and some of the timeline facts on women and education are on Dr. Mark Perry's blog (he's a professor of finance and economics).
1981: First year women earned more bachelor's degrees than men. By 2016, 150 women will receive bachelor's degrees for every 100 men.
1985: First year women earned more master's degrees than men. By 2016, women will receive 170 master's degrees for every 100 men.
1999: 56% of all college students are women (same year Radcliffe merged with Harvard, allowing women to gain Harvard degrees -- by 2004 more women than men were admitted)
2006: First year women earned more doctoral degrees and more professional degrees. By 2016, women will receive almost 125 doctoral degrees, and almost 120 professional degrees for every 100 men.
Some are wondering if women will surpass men as breadwinners in this recession and if this shift will change the general roles. Is this changing our parenting? Will this impact the size of families, the age of marriage? Type and size of housing desired?
Actually, at a time of great layoffs, men are the first to go as you just have to pay severance. Letting a woman go cost the severance and the discrimination suit as women still represent the monority. Men still represent the largest percentage of almost any major public company and the largest percentage naturally adds up to more headcount.
Posted by: anthony | February 12, 2009 at 08:24 AM
Another question, regarding the changes, I wonder how many women now are the major breadwinners in their families because men have been laid off. Making more than their husbands....or even that the roles are reversed and the husbands are stay at home dads. Interesting, that in the field of nursing, when I started 37 years ago, there were no males in my class. Today, because nursing is a field where there is job security and there is a national nursing shortage, nearly half the nurses I work with are men. Good benefits, decent salary...finally. In my case, I don't care if a spouse makes more or less than I do, as long as they bring in some income and share other burdens including emtional and parenting duties. A partnership. Emotional support and division of responsibilities are very important. At least to me. The times, they are a changin'.
Posted by: carron e. | February 12, 2009 at 10:44 AM