Barriers to Women Entering the Workforce: Knowledge and Attitude toward Nontraditional Careers. Research Bulletin No. 4.

One of four research projects designed to examine barriers to entrance of women into the workforce, the study described in this bulletin examined the relationship between knowledge of nontraditional careers and attitudes toward them. Questionnaires were administered to 1,755 students from 12 New Jersey school districts to determine their attitudes toward and knowledge of nontraditional careers. Most of the students (89 percent) held positive attitudes toward nontraditional careers. Only 49 percent of the students demonstrated a high level of knowledge about nontraditional careers, however, and 16 percent of the respondents had a moderately low to low level of knowledge about such careers. Students with higher levels of career knowledge were more likely to have positive attitudes toward nontraditional careers. Older students, students enrolled in vocational-technical schools, unmarried childless students, and Caucasian and African-American students were most knowledgeable about nontraditional careers. Males, older students, and students enrolled in comprehensive schools were less likely to be accepting in their attitudes toward females in nontraditional roles. Unmarried and Caucasian respondents were more likely to be accepting toward nontraditional careers. Activities such as nontraditional career bulletin boards, role model panels, field trips, and information sessions for guidance counselors were recommended as ways of increasing students' knowledge and acceptance of nontraditional careers for females. (MN)