“Those who defected were mainly wealthier, smarter, and more often married than those who continued to teach” (Sedlak and Schlossman, p. 33). The late 1800s were the crucial period in which primary and secondary teaching became a woman’s occupation. Between 1850 and 1900, the major changes in the United States were increased western expansion, immigration, and industrialization. School districts, especially in cities, grew rapidly to keep up with these changes (Rury, p. 23). State and the federal governments took a greater role in regulating and strengthening schools, leading to a greater demand for teachers and rapid feminization of teaching especially in urban areas.
Crafting Gender-Neutral Job Descriptions
Because she came from a family of engineers, her father encouraged her to try something different and, with his help, she gained a three-year position as an Apprentice Draughtsman’s Tracer at D. The very title of the job betrays the gendered and hierarchical nature of the role at the time. The company was involved in light engineering, designing laundry machines for hospitals and prisons. Ann’s job was to trace the engineers’ drawings onto linen, in order to have a more robust copy.
Changes in the role of women
There was a dearth of willing men and a plethora of educated, young white women qualified to teach for low salaries. In conclusion, pink collar jobs form a critical part of our labor market, with their roots deeply embedded in our societal history and evolution. From healthcare to education, administrative support to personal care, these roles reflect the diversity of skills and sectors in our economy. However, there remain challenges rooted in gender stereotypes and societal expectations.
Bridging the Gender Gap: The Role of Employers and Society
Despite pink collar jobs being largely filled by women, men are gradually taking up these traditionally female-dominated roles. However, this is still a relatively rare occurrence due to the shift from traditional blue-collar roles. Men face specific hiring challenges in pink-collar jobs, being less likely to receive interview invitations for roles predominantly held by women. Pink collar jobs are careers that have historically absorbed the expanding female labor force.
Administrative Support: The Unsung Heroes of Office Work
Regional differences, which had been so pronounced during earlier time periods, became less so. “According to the 1950 federal census the American teaching population was almost universally three-quarters female” jobs that have been feminized, such as teaching or secretarial work, are also referred to as (Rury, p. 34). Women would often enter teaching in their twenties, leave around age 28 when they had children, and return to teaching in their late 30s as their own children entered school (Rury, p. 37).
A brief history of pink collar jobs
- The “cult of true womanhood” encouraged women to be self-sacrificing, moral, and to care for children.
- Feminization occurred more in the younger levels of school, with the majority of women teachers working in elementary schools (Rury, p. 27).
- At that time, girls were not allowed to take classes in technical drawing, woodwork, or metalwork, as these were deemed to be boys’ subjects, so Ann was led down the route of learning domestic and commercial skills.
- Ann’s job was to trace the engineers’ drawings onto linen, in order to have a more robust copy.
While these positions may have male workers, females have traditionally occupied these roles, and the tendency continues to date, although to a lesser extent. Clerical work ballooned from 1900 to 1920, with most of the new jobs going to women, although the absolute number of men working office jobs rose as well. The division of labor that we’re still familiar with today—with routine jobs for women and more interesting work with promotion opportunities for men—had been established. Prioritizing skills over experience in job descriptions and recruitment processes can contribute to a diverse workforce and improve retention rates. Job descriptions should prioritize essential requirements and objectives to be achieved rather than listing years of experience, allowing applicants to be attracted based on skills. Factory workers providing manual labor in production facilities were described as “blue collar” employees because their dress code was predominantly blue work shirts and jumpsuits.
Though teachers have always had an important role in creating new generations of educated, active citizens, they have received little respect for it. As teaching became a woman’s occupation in the 1800s, the minimal educational standards for teaching increased and women achieved that higher level of qualification. “Regardless of criticisms levied against their preparation or ability, teachers have customarily possessed superior educational credentials and higher measured intelligence than the national average” (Sedlak and Schlossman, p. 37). As women and men move towards equal standing, occupations currently dominated by women will hopefully receive the higher respect and prestige that they deserve. It is important to understand the gender demographics of teaching, because the feminization of teaching went along with a changing view of early education in America. Since women occupied the majority of teaching positions from the mid-1800s through today, society’s view of teachers is largely a result of how society views all women.
Salary and benefits transparency, including gender-neutral job description, is essential to attracting women to pink collar jobs and demonstrates an employer’s dedication to fair compensation. Employers can address pink collar job challenges by implementing policies ensuring fair compensation based on skills and experience, rather than gender, thus improving job attraction and retention. Mentorship programs can also play a crucial role in workplace diversity by offering all employees, including those in pink collar jobs, a path to personal and professional growth. However, while pink collar jobs often allow for a balance between family and career, this flexibility might result in professional costs such as slower career progression. Jobs within the pink ghetto are characterized by low wages and a lack of clear career progression, making them undesirable in terms of long-term career development. The pink collar ghetto is also colloquially known as the ‘velvet ghetto’, emphasizing the soft but trapping environment it creates for women in the workforce.