News Release
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Public
Affairs
200 Constitution Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20210
USDL
[02-]
For Immediate Release
Date: August 1,
2002
Contact: Angela Adams
www.dol.gov/wb/welcome.html
Women's Bureau Publication Touts Benefits of High-Tech
Employment for Women
Washington - Women's Bureau Director Shinae Chun released a fact
sheet on women in high-tech jobs today, generated by the projected increase in
such jobs and the potential for new and profitable employment opportunities for
women.
Over the past decade, high-tech jobs have displayed continuous growth --
a trend that is expected to continue. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects
for the year 2006 that high technology employment will reach 21.5 million
workers. Computer engineers are projected to have the fastest growth among all
occupations - 664,000 new workers between 2000-2010. In addition to creating
new career opportunities, these jobs pay well, and are key to the changing
economy of the 21st Century. In 2001, the median weekly earning for workers in
technology-orientated occupations was between $713 and $1,174, considerably
more than the median for all other occupations ($597).
Chun believes that women looking for cutting-edge jobs that can help
them achieve financial security should consider high-tech careers. "Women need
to make fully educated decisions about their career choices," explained Chun.
"High-tech jobs provide better pay as well as the potential for more
flexibility." As part of its efforts to narrow the skills gap, the Women's
Bureau has developed a program called GEM-SET (Girls E-mentoring in Science,
Engineering and Technology) that brings together women in traditionally
male-dominated high-tech fields to mentor young women and spark their interest
in SET occupations.
High-tech jobs are defined as scientific, technical, and engineering
occupations, such as: engineers; life and physical scientists; mathematical
specialists; engineering and science technicians; computer specialists,
engineering scientific, and computer managers. People who work in these
occupations need in-depth knowledge of theories and principles of science,
engineering, and mathematics, acquired through post secondary specialized
education ranging from an associate degree to doctorate.
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