In response to the Letter to the Editor entitled “Daughters – Avoid mining or geology as a career” (T.N.M., June 15-21/15),
I would like say that I am by no means a feminist, but this commentary irritated me enough to voice my opinion. The writer appears to be very bitter towards the industry as a whole, stereotyping an entire industry as misogynistic simply because it is male-dominated. I would like to offer my experiences as a female engineer working in the industry, not someone working in “consulting, sales, administration or investor relations.”
I grew up around the mining industry. My father is a geological engineer who has been working for various mining companies since the 1970s, so I am well aware of the cyclical ups and downs. I have a brother and a sister, and we were all given the same opportunities, encouraged to pursue subjects we enjoyed at school such as math and science, and placed on minor hockey teams at a time when my sister and I were two of the only female players. We all pursued careers in science-related fields (geology, engineering and computer science), so I guess you could say my parents’ egalitarian attitude paid off. I realize that my family is a bit of an anomaly, and while this may have contributed to my career choice, it certainly has not influenced the environment I work in today.
I have never felt that the fact that I am a woman held me back, either in experiences or salary. The men in my department doing the same job as me do not have a higher wage. I have been encouraged to continue my education and have obtained an M.Sc. in engineering as well. I have not had opportunities “pass me over” in favour of male colleagues. I have found my career to be both challenging and rewarding. I have taken maternity leave, and although I had some catch-up to do when I returned (which is natural, after being away for several months), I don’t feel as though I have been put on the back burner just because I decided to have a family.
While I cannot speak for all females in the mining industry, I am certainly glad that I was not discouraged by my parents to avoid the industry as a whole (although as an aside, I was repeatedly warned not to marry a geologist, advice I failed to take).
Perhaps “A female geologist working in Canada” should realize that things are not the same as they were 25 years ago, and that times are changing in the mining industry. It is still a male-dominated work environment, but that won’t change if we counsel all our daughters to avoid it..
A female engineer working in Canada
Bravo, well said. As the proud father of a female mining engineer, I encourage young women to consider a career in the field of mining. Although my daughter has had an unfortunate change in employment due to the current cycle, she has been able to remain in a technical job and continues to grow her knowledge and open up new opportunities for herself. Male dominated does not mean close-minded, just that the competition might be a bit tougher.
I am a mining engineer myself; this means I do have a bias, but my daughter made the choice to enter the field of her own accord and has not regretted her choice. No career choice is ever going to be easy, we all have to struggle, but the worse thing for a parent to do is to negatively influence that right to choose.