Full Comparative Study Results For Women in Graphic Communication Are In!

In November of 2011 I set off on a mission to help Dr. Twyla J. Cummings, Senior Associate Dean and Professor, Graduate Executive Board Advisor, College of Imaging Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology round up some participation in a study aimed at determining how women are positioned in our industry today, compared to the results of the same study conducted in 2000. In May of 2011 Dr. Cummings released an abstract summary of her findings to PMC, but I am happy to let you know that the final and full study results are now in, and Dr. Cummings has shared them with me, to share with you.

Every word of the study results is worth reading, especially if you are a woman,
but here are some quick highlights:

• In the 2011 study, 43% of women reported being an owner or in a managerial role compared to 11.4% in 2000.

• 62% of women in 2000, and 49% of women in 2011, reported less than 10% of women in their company were in management.

• 70% of women in 2000, and 67% of women in 2011 reported having a mentor – and in 2011 more than 52% of those mentors were male.

• Both studies showed pay inequality as biggest problem respondents encountered during their career.

Dr. Cummings’ conclusions indicate the increase of women in managerial positions, women owned businesses, and overall industry longevity makes a career for women in Graphic Communications viable for pursuit. She also indicates that with more women rising up the ranks, there will be opportunities for female mentors and role models. And perhaps most important, Dr. Cummings suggests that salary negotiation and managerial skills should be incorporated into Graphic Arts education programs, and an obligation of the educational institutions to prepare students for success.

I have just mentioned a few things from the research results, so please download and read what Dr. Cummings has shared and let’s start a dialogue about how we can help each other, especially with pay inequality and helping women find women mentors. I also want to thank Dr. Cummings again for allowing me to help with this important work – she even gave my LinkedIn Group a shout out in the results – so that was pretty cool!

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT HERE

Speaking of mentors… 

I am happy to announce that the Third Annual National Girls Who Print Day will be celebrated on Tuesday September 30, 2014 at GRAPH EXPO. Girl #1 Mary Beth Smith hosts the event held in PrintMediaCentr’s Printerverse™ – our 2,500 sq. ft. show floor feature in booth 4267. Please join us for lunch and our third annual Girls Who Print mentorship panel from 12-1:30pm. This session has proven to be a “must see ‘em” in its own right, and I invited Dr. Cummings to join us, so keep your fingers crossed!

There is no substitute for being at GRAPH EXPO, but if you can’t make it we will be broadcasting the mentorship panel and all of our sessions LIVE via Livestream during the show. Keep following along here and on Twitter @PrintMediaCentr  and #Printerverse for all info, and of course @GRAPHEXPO and #GRAPHEXPO for all show info!