La parole aux jeunes filles acadiennes et francophones concernant leurs choix professionnels

Abstract

Women in Education and Training Jeanne d’Arc Gaudet, University of Moncton, Canada Claire Lapointe, Université Laval, Canada A thorough examination of the situation of women in the labour market reveals that they usually find themselves in employment categories that are traditionally considered feminine. Very few women choose careers in the fields of science, technology or engineering, and yet the human resource needs of the new economy are enormous. Employers are looking for people skilled in sciences, mathematics, technologies and engineering, while girls and women in these fields hold unstable or poorly paid positions, such as call-centre jobs. What career choices do girls registered in French-speaking New Brunswick high schools have in 2004? How do they make their choices and why? The article presents some of the results of a study done with grade 12 New Brunswick students, with the aim of better understanding the decision-making process in terms of their educational and career choices.