La femme Ingénieur francaise de 1986

Abstract

Prior to the First World War many obstacles stood in the way of French Women who wished to pursue studies in technical fields. Largely due to the shortage of suitable male candidates, a considerable number of higher technological institutes opened their doors to women students during or after the First World War. However, women engineers working in France before the 1930's were a very small pioneering band. Between the two World Wars the number of women engineers grew slowly, but it was only after 1945 that opportunities opened up more swiftly. By the early 1970's even the most prestigious of the Grandes Ecoles were beginning to take in women students

As a result of these changes the number of qualified women engineers grew from around 3000 in 1960 to more than 20,000 in 1985. The article discusses the changes in the school level education system which aided this development. Also discussed are the career prospects and achievements of French Women Engineers with special reference to the establishment of a study circle of women engineers in 1958 and its development through the 1960's and 1970's. The Association of French Women Engineers was founded in 1982 and symbolises the secure position of women engineers in France in the 1980's. The work of the Association is outlined with special reference to its educational role and the development of a slide-based information package about women in engineering aimed at school girls.