THE STATUS OF WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY PROFESSION AND THEIR CHALLENGES IN WORKING INSTITUTIONS

The purpose of this study is to make a discussion about the trends of women involvement in engineering & technology profession along with evidence from Ethiopia and challenges of women working in this professions. Data has been collected on the ground of the variable; (1) women enrollment in engineering & technology undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs, and (2) the share of graduated women in engineering & technology from first degree to Ph.D level. Primary data has also gathered to investigate the challenges of women working in engineering and technology professions. The result of the study shows there is under- representation of women in engineering & technology enrollment in all degree programs. In the regular undergraduate degree program of engineering & technology, the average percentage of women from the total enrollment is 23.34% which is below one fourth of the total. Moreover, the average percentage of women enrollment out of the total regular post graduate degree is 13.4%. The average number of women graduates in regular and evening from first to third degree programs of the total graduate is only 14.5%. The result also indicates 35% of respondents suffering various challenges while they are working in engineering and technology professions. The finding implies low participation of women in engineering & technology education which needs great emphasis by the prospective body of parents, students themselves and government bodies to improve the role of women in the route of economic development.