Occupational Trajectories of Women in STEM in Brazil

Mariana Almeida, CEDEPLAR / UFMG
Simone Wajnman, Centro de Desenvolvimento e Planejamento Regional (CEDEPLAR)

Women remain underrepresented in STEM fields, both in education and work, which results in a scenario of inequalities that affect men and women differently at different moments in their lifecycles. This paper aims to identify and characterize the occupational trajectories of men and women in STEM fields, compared to others, analysing the contexts of friction that lead to low participation and retention of women in STEM occupations. In addition to exploring disparities between men and women in these areas, the paper aims to understand the heterogeneity of female work in Brazil, from the perspective of occupational segregation. We use longitudinal data from the Annual Social Information Record (RAIS), an administrative record maintained by the Brazilian Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE). The population analyzed refers to individuals who had a formal job from 2011 to 2022 in a STEM occupation. The methodology comprises the use of sequence analysis to identify and characterize occupational trajectories.

Keywords: Gender Dynamics, Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination, Human Capital, Education, and Work, Longitudinal studies

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