Representation in Australia: Which industries and fields have seen growth for women?

When it comes to the crunch, there are a resounding number of professional fields in which women have, to date, been massively underrepresented.

Admittedly, male-dominated industries have traditionally included professions within the manual labour arena, as well as in professional sports – jobs which, the anti-feminist argument attests, do not usually ‘appeal’ to women.

Despite this feeble justification however, it is important to note that men have also tended to dominate professions in the corporate industry, particularly in C-suite roles such as CEO and CFO.

Importantly, the domination of upper managerial leadership positions by men is especially evident in the power-wielding legal and financial fields, as well as in politics, social policy, and governance.

Nonetheless, it must be said that today, an increasing number of these areas are beginning to see exponential growth in terms of female representation. And, happily, we can only expect this to continue to develop into the future, as more and more women step into their power, and historically male-dominated industries continue to evolve with the times.

Female empowerment and education: Pathways to the top

It is well evidenced that the best, most powerful, and certainly the most effective method of improving oneself – and one’s job prospects – is through education.

Indeed, as more and more women globally have access to educational courses, degrees and qualifications, so too are we seeing more women in successful careers and even positions of power.

For ambitious women with sky-high career aspirations, the first step is to research courses to study online. Importantly, the opportunity to complete a qualification online allows for tertiary education to be more available and accessible to women than ever before.

Studying online enables the student to study on their own time, regardless of any other personal or professional commitments. Mature-age students, including time-stretched mothers, are especially to benefit from this. As such, education is no longer out of reach – irrespective of your existing schedule, geographical location, personal situation, or indeed, your gender.

Better yet, once your tertiary qualification is attained, the career prospects within your chosen field are abundant. Women are no longer limited to menial secretarial, administrative or data entry roles. With a tertiary qualification under your belt, the professional world is at your fingertips!

Male dominated industries: Reversing historical trends

Historically, certain professional fields have traditionally been classified as ‘men’s work’. This, of course, pertains especially to jobs in construction, renovation and demolition, as well as a plethora of labour trades such as carpentry, plumbing and electrical work.

Additionally, the tedious yet surprisingly well-paid role of traffic management officer has also, in general, been a job that has been predominantly dominated by men.

Also, when considering the role of the professional athlete – especially concerning involvement in team sports such as football, cricket or basketball – women have sadly been relegated to second-class in this example as well.

Despite this, in addition to the majority of manual labouring industries being predominately male-dominated, it is also important to note that men have tended to dominate professions in the corporate industry as well.

As such, throughout history, we have seen females being very much in the minority when it comes to corporate leadership and upper managerial positions. C-suite roles such as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) in particular, have almost always been reserved for men.

Sadly, women continue to make up an astoundingly tiny percentage of corporate professionals who reach the upper echelons of the companies they work for. This gender imbalance also applies to leadership roles in politics and governance, with the vast majority of government bodies consisting of predominantly male politicians.

Nonetheless, an increasing number of these professional areas are now beginning to see exponential growth in terms of female representation. This is thanks, no doubt, to the post-1950s feminist era, during which time female professionals became more and more empowered, confident, and perhaps most importantly, adequately educated and equipped to rise to their potential.

As a result, a significantly increased number of women worldwide have been enabled to step into their power and take on professional roles that are in line with their true capabilities, skills, and merit.

Women have, traditionally, been underrepresented in what can be considered the vast majority of professional industries over the years. Of course, that is not to say that women aren’t capable of performing in high-powered roles!

On the contrary, with the increasing number of women worldwide now having access to higher education opportunities, career prospects have significantly opened up to women. As such, professions that have historically been dominated by men are now seeing more and more female candidates than ever before.

And, happily, for women around the world, access to these opportunities is only set to continue, develop and grow in the future.