Reducing the Gender Gap in Employability: Gender Analysis of Job Offers in Academic Programs and Success Actions in the School of Engineering
Academic Article in Scopus
The global gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions represents a considerable challenge to economic development and workforce growth. The underrepresentation of women in these fields has had deleterious effects on their participation, thereby limiting their influence and opportunities. In the context of economic globalization, the employability of women - defined as the capacity to obtain and maintain meaningful and productive employment - has become imperative for the economic success of nations. The promotion of enhanced inclusivity for women within STEM fields has the potential to yield multifaceted benefits. These benefits include the augmentation of female participation in the labor market, the fortification of competitiveness, and the enhancement of long-term sustainable development. The objective of this research is to identify and analyze gender disparity in the labor market for recent graduates of 17 STEM academic programs in Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico and design strategies to reduce these differences and promote equity in employability. The findings indicated significant disparities between men and women three months post-graduation: men exhibited a higher employment rate (83.20 % vs. 78.4 %), a higher prevalence of entrepreneurship (5.5 % vs. 2.6 %), and an average salary that was 20 % higher. The research revealed that, on average, male graduates enter the labor market at higher rates and with higher salaries than women with the same degree. However, initiatives that contribute to narrowing the gender gap were identified, such as internships in gender-sensitive companies, mentoring and professional development programs for women, and awareness campaigns on the importance of pay equity.
