Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2016, Educational Administration (Education)

Women continue to be underrepresented in the nontraditional careers. With areas of cosmetology, health sciences, education and child care being the dominate female careers; there is limited female representation in welding, carpentry, plumbing/pipefitting, electrical and other traditional male careers. Due to facing social barriers and developing an understanding of skill measurement among peers by the age of adolescence, individuals will disregard career options that may be viable for the future based on limited exposure and inaccurate facts. In addition, as students become aware of their own interests and abilities career preferences begin to emerge. Choices tend to be toward jobs in which students find accessible and in which there is a familiarity. The process of self-selection and differentiated task-specific beliefs among students occurs as early as elementary school. Researchers have gathered data to bring awareness that gender stereotyping occurs within the elementary setting and students are already self-selecting careers based upon those stereotypes at young ages. By the age of adolescence, the experiences students have had within the school setting, within the home, and through experiences or lack thereof, can already determine the career path for an individual. Due to females being strongly influenced by their setting and the expected gender roles they are to play, understanding the research is critical for the recruitment and retention of women within a nontraditional work setting. Recruitment and early exposure can start at earlier ages by providing job shadowing and mentoring early in the educational life of a child. By researching ways to improve the recruitment and retention of females into nontraditional occupations, tremendous financial opportunities could be available to women who may never have considered the skill sets and talent they have as being viable. This qualitative study uses a series of three interviews with selected participants (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Charles Lowery Ed.D (Committee Co-Chair); Krisanna Machtmes Ph.D (Committee Co-Chair); Emmanuel Jean Francois Ph.D (Committee Member); Dwan Robinson Ph.D (Committee Member); Jason Stoner Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Continuing Education; Counseling Education; Curriculum Development; Education; Education Policy; Educational Theory; Gender Studies; Labor Relations; School Counseling; Vocational Education; Womens Studies