WHY (AND HOW) DO WOMEN ENGINEERS STAY?: A POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING THE CAREER SUSTAINABILITY OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING

In: Journal of women and minorities in science and engineering, Band 30, Heft 3, S. 99-122

Abstract

Much of the research on the attrition of women in engineering has identified the existence of gender
bias and the disproportionate challenges women engineers face as the primary reasons women leave the profession. While noteworthy, researchers have not focused their investigations on why (and how) women who stay in the field do so. The present study utilized a positive psychology lens to explore factors that have supported career sustainability for women who have remained in the engineering field.
Phenomenological data analysis was used to examine interviews with 14 women in engineering. A
model of career sustainability was developed, which yielded six internal (psychological) and two external
(environmental) factors. Internal factors included navigating sexism, work attitudes and behavior,
stress management, self-concept, work-life-family balance, and interpersonal strategies. External
factors included social supports and workplace characteristics. This career sustainability model is
likely applicable to aspiring youth, students of engineering, early-career engineers, senior practicing
engineers, managers, and organizational leaders of all genders, as the engineers who participated in
the study provided inspiring, creative strategies and reflections about how they have thrived.