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Women in the Labour Force
Over the past twenty years, women's participation in the labour
force: has not increased as dramatically as it has in the post-secondary
education system. It has increased most for women in their middle and
child-bearing, years. As of 1980, women were 41% of the total labour force.
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During the past twenty years, there has been a
dramatic increase in levels of labour force participation for women of all
ages. |
Participation Rates -
Canada
|
| Age |
1960* |
1970 |
1980 |
| 15 - 19 |
32.6% |
39.3% |
52.2% |
| 20 - 24 |
48.0% |
60.7% |
73.0% |
| 25 - 44 |
28.4% |
39.5% |
62.2% |
| 45 - 64 |
26.6% |
36.0% |
44.5% |
| 65+ |
5.6% |
5.0% |
4.3% |
| All Ages |
27.9% |
38.3% |
50.3% |
*Age 14 - 19 for 1960 |
The higher the level of education a women has achieved, the more
likely she is to be in the labour force. However, higher education and labour
force participation have not produced the same results for women as for men.
Occupational segregation has occurred to a much greater extent for women as can
be seen in the following table.
| Women Employees as a
Percentage of Major Occupational Groups* - Canada - 1980 |
| Occupational
Group |
Women as %
Total
Employees |
| Clerical |
78.4% |
| Service |
54.5% |
| Managerial,
Professional |
41.8% |
| Sales |
40.5% |
| Processing |
20.3% |
| Primary
Occupations |
18.2% |
| Materials Handling and
Other Crafts |
19.2% |
| Transportation |
5.7% |
| Construction |
1.3% |
*Some categories differ from those listed
in Table Twelve. for example, the managerial /professional categories are
divided into more detailed sub-groups, e.g. teaching. |
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