The factors influencing Saudi Arabian women's persistence in nontraditional work careers

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the factors that influence Saudi Arabian women to persist in nontraditional work careers, which are primarily in gender-integrated work environments and male-dominated industries.Design/methodology/approachQualitative research was conducted based on semistructured interviews with 30 Saudi women – 18 of whom were working in nontraditional careers and 12 of whom had worked in nontraditional careers but subsequently left to pursue more traditional, female-associated career opportunities. Interview data were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using grounded theory methods.FindingsDistinct similarities and differences between the two subsamples emerged from the data. Similarities between the two groups included men's underestimation of women's performance, lack of access to workplace sites and resources, male colleagues' cultural fears of violating gender norms and social rejection of women in the workplace. Women who persisted in nontraditional work careers articulated a high level of self-efficacy, an optimistic future vision, positive relationships with male colleagues and family support, which enabled them to persevere despite numerous difficulties associated with working in a male-dominated environment. A conceptual model is developed that integrates the findings explaining Saudi women's persistence in nontraditional work careers.Research limitations/implicationsSelf-reported data and a small sample size are the main limitations of this study.Practical implicationsMale managers of women in nontraditional work settings are encouraged to engage positively with women professionals in their teams and to provide opportunities for growth and development for all members of the workforce. Saudi public policy decision-makers, families, educators and organizations interested in retaining and increasing female workforce participation should take into account the factors influencing Saudi women's persistence in nontraditional work careers.Originality/valueAlthough some studies in Western contexts have addressed the factors that influence the persistence of women in nontraditional careers, less work has been done in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) sociocultural context. Specifically, in the present study, the authors investigate the factors that influence women's persistence in nontraditional careers in Saudi Arabia's high gender-role-oriented culture.

The Further Educational Needs of Dental Hygienists

Dental hygiene is an occupation that is beginning to assume the status of a profession. The research reported in this paper focuses on the perceptions of education as it relates to the professional status of dental hygienists, as well as on some aspects of their continuing education needs. It is taken from a study of dental hygienists and dentists in Alberta, which investigated the perceptions of both groups of the status of dental hygiene as a profession.Data for the study was collected from focus groups of dental hygienists and questionnaires administered to both dentists and hygienists in Alberta.While the study showed support among dental hygienists as a group for further education, as well as for the notion of mandated continuing education, there was uncertainty about what forms it should take and whether it would in fact be needed by the majority of hygienists engaged in traditional practice, views that were shared by the dentists in the study. Of particular interest in the study were the views of the respondents on the baccalaureate in dental hygiene, which is seen by Dental Hygienists' Associations as being an important step in the evolution of dental hygiene as a profession. The respondents in the study were quite sharply divided over the need for the degree: dental hygienists in nontraditional careers were supportive of the idea, while those engaged in traditional practice, as well as the dentists, were less so. The findings of this study, which indicate a division within the ranks of dental hygienists, have considerable importance for those who are charged with charting the future of dental hygiene.

Engaging Undergraduates in Informal Learning Experiences

Undergraduate paleontology education typically consists of formal coursework involving the classroom, laboratory, and field trips. Other opportunities exist within informal science education (ISE) that can provide students with experiences to broaden their undergraduate education. ISE includes out-of-school, “free-choice,” and/or lifelong learning experiences in a variety of settings and media, including museums, science and nature centers, national and state parks, science cafes, as well as an evergrowing variety of web-based activities. This article discusses ISE as it pertains to university paleontology education and presents examples. Students can participate in the development and evaluation of exhibits as well as assist in the implementation of museum-related educational programs with paleontological content. They also can work or intern as explainers either “on the floor” of museums, or as interpreters at science-related parks. ISE-related activities can also provide opportunities to engage in citizen science and other outreach initiatives, e.g., with undergraduates assisting in fossil digs with public (volunteer) participation and giving talks to fossil clubs. During these activities, students have the opportunity to communicate about controversial topics such as evolution, which is neither well understood nor universally accepted by the general public. Engagement in these kinds of activities provides students with a combination of specialized STEM content (paleontology, geology) and ISE practice that may better position them to pursue nontraditional careers outside of the academic arena. Likewise, for students intending to pursue an academic career, ISE activities make undergraduate students better equipped to conduct Broader Impact activities as early career professionals.