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非学位课程或隐藏性别歧视

时间:2018-10-28 22:42来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
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Non-degree Programs May Not Serve Men and Women Equally

Generations of people in the United States have seen higher education as the best path towards a well-paying and satisfying job.

But the cost of attending colleges and universities in the country has increased greatly over the last 30 years. And there is no guarantee that earning a degree will lead to a job that pays a person enough to support a family.

So some people turn to other forms of education and training. These include programs that lead to certifications and other documentation that prove a person’s abilities in a given field, from construction to healthcare. These kinds of programs often cost less than traditional degree programs. And they usually take less time to complete.

Employers may still choose traditional degree-holders1 for top positions. But there are still many well-paying jobs that require a specialized2 kind of knowledge that certification programs provide.

New research, however, suggests that these programs are not helping3 women as much as they are helping men.

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Education began collecting data on work-experience and non-degree credential programs. The department released the final results of its research earlier this year.

It found that about 27 percent of adults in the country hold at least one of these credentials4. Adults who had one of these non-degree credentials made more money and were more likely to be employed than those who did not.

Yet the public policy research group New America found some troubling information within that data. Experts there found that men and women earn these credentials at about the same rate. But men who have the same credentials as women are more likely to be employed. They also make more money.

For example, 74 percent of men with a certificate but no four-year college degree were employed. By comparison, 67 percent of women with a certificate but no four-year degree were employed.

In terms of pay, 46 percent of women with a credential but no four-year degree made less than $30,000 a year. The same was true for 25 percent of men, New America found. Seventeen percent of men with only a non-degree credential earned more than $75,000. Just five percent of women with similar credentials earned that much.

New America released its report in September.

Lul Tesfai is a leading policy expert at New America’s Center on Education and Skills, and she helped write the group’s report. She argues that these differences in employment levels and pay are due, in part, to existing gender5 divisions in some industries.

The report found that some industries are either male- or female- dominated, meaning 70 percent or more of the workers are of one gender. For example, engineering and computer security are male-dominated fields. Office support jobs are female-dominated. The report also found that non-degree credential holders in male-dominated fields earn more money.

Tesfai suggests that women are more likely to enter fields that are lower paying because of cultural influences. She says young men are often pushed into careers that value independence, leadership skills or even physical strength. She says society tells young women they are responsible for supporting others instead of working towards their own goals.

Tesfai told VOA, “It’s no coincidence that some of the female-dominated occupations are care occupations like healthcare and education.”

Karen Dove is the executive director of Apprenticeship6 and Nontraditional Employment for Women. Her nonprofit organization trains and supports women entering construction, repair and other building trades.

Dove says that in some of the better-paying, male-dominated industries, women face a workplace culture that is not very welcoming.

She says that on many construction sites, for example, male workers share a tradition of offensive humor and sometimes disrespectful behavior. Sexual harassment7 is common. And in several cases, male workers have sexually assaulted the female workers.

“These are things that are still happening on these construction sites,” said Dove. “Even if women enter the construction industry, they’re more likely to drop out because of this type of culture that exists.”

Ben Williams is chief executive officer of the National Alliance for Partnerships8 in Equity9. The organization supports equality in education and employment. He says New America’s findings present serious problems. Experts and educators often push these non-degree programs as alternatives to college, he explains.

He says that experts may tell women that credential programs offer them a chance to pay less and possibly earn more in the future. But, if women in general are not getting the same results as men, they need to be told that, too, Williams says. Otherwise they may not be making the best or most informed decisions for their financial future by choosing these programs.

“A lot of these jobs that we’re talking about lead to family-sustaining wages,” Williams said “And so if women are not accessing those occupations that lead to family-sustaining wages, it not only affects them…It affects their family.”

Williams and Tesfai agree that the first step to making sure the outcomes of these credential programs are more equal is messaging. Educators need to send messages to women and girls that any occupation is open to them, not just ones where they serve the needs of others.

Dove says the efforts cannot stop there. Both she and Williams note that employers must also do their part. Williams argues that businesses must take note of how they may unfairly consider the abilities of men and women when filling positions.

Dove adds that if offensive behavior is taking place on a job site, employers need to break with tradition and remove those involved.

I’m Pete Musto. And I’m Dorothy Gundy.

Words in This Story

degree – n. an official document and title that is given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university

certification(s) – n. official approval to do something professionally or legally

construction – n. the business of building things, such as houses or roads

credential – n. a document which shows that a person has the necessary skills, experience, or knowledge to do a particular job

gender – n. the state of being male or female

coincidence – n. a situation in which events happen at the same time in a way that is not planned or expected

occupation(s) – n. a person's job or profession

harassment – n. the act of causing someone to feel troubled, worried, or concerned in a constant or repeated way

drop out – p.v. to stop being part of a group

alternative(s) – n. something that can be chosen instead of something else

sustain(ing) – v. to provide what is needed for something or someone to exist or continue

access(ing) – v. to be able to use, enter, or get near something


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 holders 79c0e3bbb1170e3018817c5f45ebf33f     
支持物( holder的名词复数 ); 持有者; (支票等)持有人; 支托(或握持)…之物
参考例句:
  • Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
  • It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识,才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事,同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。
2 specialized Chuzwe     
adj.专门的,专业化的
参考例句:
  • There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
  • These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。
3 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
4 credentials credentials     
n.证明,资格,证明书,证件
参考例句:
  • He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
  • Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。
5 gender slSyD     
n.(生理上的)性,(名词、代词等的)性
参考例句:
  • French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语,所有的名词都有性。
  • Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。
6 apprenticeship 4NLyv     
n.学徒身份;学徒期
参考例句:
  • She was in the second year of her apprenticeship as a carpenter. 她当木工学徒已是第二年了。
  • He served his apprenticeship with Bob. 他跟鲍勃当学徒。
7 harassment weNxI     
n.骚扰,扰乱,烦恼,烦乱
参考例句:
  • She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
  • The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。
8 partnerships ce2e6aff420d72bbf56e8077be344bc9     
n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 );合伙人身份;合作关系
参考例句:
  • Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
  • It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句
9 equity ji8zp     
n.公正,公平,(无固定利息的)股票
参考例句:
  • They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
  • To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值,墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。
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