Nontraditional Gender Occupations
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a nontraditional occupation is one in which 25 percent or less of one gender is employed. Nationally, there tend to be more occupations that have females as their nontraditional gender, especially those fields in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Most research points to the societal views of careers and our “traditional” expectations for those who fill those careers. However, recent trends have shown movement in many of these fields, with rises of nontraditional employment.
Why should you consider a nontraditional occupation? People who choose their occupations based on personal interests, skills, and abilities, rather than based on societal views of "traditional" genders in the workforce generally experience greater rewards and job satisfaction. Often, nontraditional jobs have larger financial incentives than traditional jobs. Salaries, advancement opportunities, and benefits for nontraditional occupations may also be better.
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