Professional Engineers in Australia: A Case Study of Participation and Retention of Female Engineering Students and Alumni of Monash University

Under-representation of women in the engineering profession continues to be a problem in Australia and around the western world. Unlike other studies, this study adopted a unique research approach to better understand factors influencing the decision-making processes explaining women engineers' participation in tertiary studies and the skilled workforce. In this thesis, surveys conducted with alumni reaffirmed factors influencing women's attrition and retention in the engineering workforce. Moreover, surveys and interviews with undergraduate and postgraduate students revealed four key findings that contribute new knowledge towards formulating strategies focused on improving the under-representation of women in engineering studies and the profession.