Simone, Josephine (2024) Career Break Perceptions and Experiences: Women in STEM. Other Degree thesis, Victoria University.

Abstract

Career breaks are a growing career phenomenon. This study explores the career breaks of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as transitional experiences, reflecting the changes that occur to their lifestyles, relationships, routines, and roles and how they respond to these changes. It provides a deeper understanding of how these changes influence an individual’s work, life and career engagement throughout their career break trajectory, as they move into, through and out of a career break. The transition framework derived from Schlossberg’s Transition Model (1981, 2011; Leibowitz & Schlossberg 1982) and McQuaid and Lindsey’s employability framework (2005) are the two frameworks used to explore and explain the transition of a career break and how this transition shapes the employability of women in STEM. Guided by this integrated theoretical lens, this study provides a fresh perspective of the career break experience, reflecting a contemporary work and life context, one that accommodates continuous change and facilitates individual career progression. This fresh perspective has led to the development of a Career Break Model integrating emerging knowledge of career breaks, employability and transition based on the collective work, life and career experiences drawn from a group of women in STEM who have taken at least one career break. Using the theoretical lens of Schlossberg’s transition framework (1981, 2011) and McQuaid and Lindsey’s employability framework (2005) incorporated in the Career Break Model, this conceptualisation informs on an individual’s simultaneous management of changes that emerge throughout the transition of a career break and the maintenance of their employability. This study identifies individuals’ changing needs and wants, assessing their self-management capabilities relative to the resources available to support these needs and wants and relative to their circumstances to nourish their workforce return. A narrative research approach is used to collect and thematically analyse the data. Eighteen women in STEM were interviewed who had taken one or more career breaks and returned to the STEM workforce after each career break. The research findings provided a full picture of those women’s perceptions and experiences. They also revealed the challenges that women in STEM face to manage and balance their personal and professional lives, while remaining employable. Also highlighted, is the managerial support that is required to enhance women in STEM’s ability to navigate the transition of moving into, through and out of a career break. This study uncovers and records the significant challenges participants encountered while away from the workforce and when returning to employment, often while dealing with other simultaneous stressors. The research findings of this study are particularly relevant for women in STEM themselves, who may seek to improve the management of their own career break experiences. They are also relevant for STEM organisations, to facilitate more positive career break experiences for their female employees, by adjusting their workplace policies and practices. This study provides insight for various STEM industry bodies and for those undertaking further research in this area.

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