Jetstar Aiming for 50% Gender Spilt in Interview Candidates
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Jetstar Aiming for 50% Gender Spilt in Interview Candidates
As if this industry wasn't hard enough already.
To start stipulating a 50% figure when the actual ratio gender split of the total pilots or engineer population is nowhere near 50% is flat out discrimination and a great way of discouraging otherwise keen capable males.
To start stipulating a 50% figure when the actual ratio gender split of the total pilots or engineer population is nowhere near 50% is flat out discrimination and a great way of discouraging otherwise keen capable males.
Taylah Smith, 20, doesn't fit the stereotypical image of an avionics engineer. But the second-year apprentice at Jetstar's Newcastle engineering facility says she loves her job.
"It is such a unique and specialised field," she says. "Most people, when I tell them what I do, they have no idea and their jaw drops."
Ms Smith, who has been interested in engineering since she was at school, is one of four female apprentices at the low-cost airline's engineering facility in Newcastle. She works 11-hour day or night shifts on a four day on/four day off basis to ensure the aircraft keep flying safely.
Jetstar, which unusually for the aviation industry has a female chief executive, Jayne Hrdlicka, and a female chief pilot, Captain Georgina Sutton, has been working hard to recruit more women in traditionally male-dominated fields.
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For the past year, it has had a policy in place to aim for an even split between male and female candidates for interviews and shortlisted for jobs. If that cannot be achieved in the event nobody from a specific gender applied or met critical technical and safety qualifications, an explanation must be provided.
Jetstar's efforts to increase gender diversity were recognised on Thursday evening, when industry group Aviation/Aerospace Australia named it as the award winner in the Outstanding Strategy for Diversity Category at its 2016 Airspace Awards.
Aviation/Aerospace Australia chief executive Ken McLean said progressive airlines around the world had abandoned the position of having women in the cabin and men in the cockpit.
"Incentives and quotas have helped reverse this situation," he said. "The challenge now is to ensure women are well represented in the technical aspects of aviation, such as maintenance, dispatch and piloting."
In NSW, less than 1 per cent of aircraft maintenance engineers are female, making them even rarer than female pilots. In Australia, women comprise around 5 to 10 per cent of pilots at the major airlines, varying by carrier.
Ms Hrdlicka said that, from Jetstar's point of view, striving for better diversity in its pilot and engineering ranks was a "no-brainer".
"I've never understood why an airline would overlook half the population when searching for the very best talent to fly, service and maintain their aircraft," she said.
The Newcastle facility remains male-dominated, with the female apprentices comprising only 5 per cent of the workforce. But Ms Smith said she had not had problems integrating into a male-dominated environment and hoped more women would follow in her footsteps.
When she completes her four-year apprenticeship she will be qualified as an aircraft maintenance engineer. Once that is complete, she could choose to pursue the qualification of becoming a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer.
"There are plenty of options," she said. "You can just keep going and go further up the ladder."
Read more: Jetstar works to boost number of women in engineering
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"It is such a unique and specialised field," she says. "Most people, when I tell them what I do, they have no idea and their jaw drops."
Ms Smith, who has been interested in engineering since she was at school, is one of four female apprentices at the low-cost airline's engineering facility in Newcastle. She works 11-hour day or night shifts on a four day on/four day off basis to ensure the aircraft keep flying safely.
Jetstar, which unusually for the aviation industry has a female chief executive, Jayne Hrdlicka, and a female chief pilot, Captain Georgina Sutton, has been working hard to recruit more women in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Advertisement
For the past year, it has had a policy in place to aim for an even split between male and female candidates for interviews and shortlisted for jobs. If that cannot be achieved in the event nobody from a specific gender applied or met critical technical and safety qualifications, an explanation must be provided.
Jetstar's efforts to increase gender diversity were recognised on Thursday evening, when industry group Aviation/Aerospace Australia named it as the award winner in the Outstanding Strategy for Diversity Category at its 2016 Airspace Awards.
Aviation/Aerospace Australia chief executive Ken McLean said progressive airlines around the world had abandoned the position of having women in the cabin and men in the cockpit.
"Incentives and quotas have helped reverse this situation," he said. "The challenge now is to ensure women are well represented in the technical aspects of aviation, such as maintenance, dispatch and piloting."
In NSW, less than 1 per cent of aircraft maintenance engineers are female, making them even rarer than female pilots. In Australia, women comprise around 5 to 10 per cent of pilots at the major airlines, varying by carrier.
Ms Hrdlicka said that, from Jetstar's point of view, striving for better diversity in its pilot and engineering ranks was a "no-brainer".
"I've never understood why an airline would overlook half the population when searching for the very best talent to fly, service and maintain their aircraft," she said.
The Newcastle facility remains male-dominated, with the female apprentices comprising only 5 per cent of the workforce. But Ms Smith said she had not had problems integrating into a male-dominated environment and hoped more women would follow in her footsteps.
When she completes her four-year apprenticeship she will be qualified as an aircraft maintenance engineer. Once that is complete, she could choose to pursue the qualification of becoming a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer.
"There are plenty of options," she said. "You can just keep going and go further up the ladder."
Read more: Jetstar works to boost number of women in engineering
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"I've never understood why an airline would overlook half the population when searching for the very best talent to fly, service and maintain their aircraft," she said.
Dress it up whatever way you like. When you overlook a better candidate because of a gender bias then that plain and simple discrimination.
What is really stupid is employing half your workforce purely on gender bias rather than talent or ability.
What's next, 20% must be gay/lesbian/transvestite? What about ethnic split while where at it? Or religion? Should your employment depend more upon your ethnicity, gender or sexual preference than your suitability to actually do the job? No only an idiot would think that. Seems being an idiot doesn't stop you becoming CEO of Jetstar.
Why aren't women interesting in being a LAME?
So many different women from different backgrounds and somehow only a tiny fraction take an interest in the profession?
Modern feminism suggests this is because of the patriarchy instilling a particular set of values in our youngsters that ends up steering women away from "traditionally male" roles. Personally I just think girls generally don't really take much of an interest in machines, but maybe I'm just part of the problem
So many different women from different backgrounds and somehow only a tiny fraction take an interest in the profession?
Modern feminism suggests this is because of the patriarchy instilling a particular set of values in our youngsters that ends up steering women away from "traditionally male" roles. Personally I just think girls generally don't really take much of an interest in machines, but maybe I'm just part of the problem
Chuboy, I think there is at least an element of reality to your personally held views in many cases. People who have both male and female children sometimes notice this. I myself was interested that my boy took to making car/truck/ motorbike noises and becoming very excited when he saw them from about eight months old. Both his older sisters still don't get excited over these things. Maybe they never will?
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If you leave kids to their own devices it's interesting how the girls go for the dolls and dress ups and the boys want to go and play with the trucks and diggers. Feminists can say what they like but anecdotal evidence would suggest otherwise. Why do Lego now have girl focused Lego which is more about relationship rather than just the usual Pirates/Towns/Spaceship etc.
Not saying girls can't be good LAMES or Pilots but when talking about large numbers of people the average tends to sway toward the societal norms, which is what makes this 50% business a bit ridiculous. Then add into that becoming an airline pilot takes alot of sacrifice regardless of gender and that airline jobs are really very competitive anyway.
Not saying girls can't be good LAMES or Pilots but when talking about large numbers of people the average tends to sway toward the societal norms, which is what makes this 50% business a bit ridiculous. Then add into that becoming an airline pilot takes alot of sacrifice regardless of gender and that airline jobs are really very competitive anyway.
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The whole thing is f***ing disgusting. Saw it in my previous career, seeing it here. Mandating 50% female recruitment when the pool of female applicants might be 10-20%. You dare argue it, people start using the words "sexist" and "outrage".
I wouldn't have the slightest issue with 95% female recruitment, if it was based solely on assessment of suitability and competency (as it is with everyone else). But apparently even suggesting that is veiled sexism too. I give up.
I wouldn't have the slightest issue with 95% female recruitment, if it was based solely on assessment of suitability and competency (as it is with everyone else). But apparently even suggesting that is veiled sexism too. I give up.
I've actually had this discussion with a bunch of female pilots not long ago. There are plenty out there that will us their gender and/or looks to get ahead while others just want to work hard and get there on their own merits.
Such policies while at face value seem like a great way to integrate the sexes, they also have the effect of people just assuming any female got the job because of her gender when she may have worked really hard and have been the most competitive candidate on the day regardless of gender.
I'm all for encouraging more females to the industry, I've worked with many and the majority of them are great operators. Some had issues with life out remote or with brash management styles of many of the owners out there, though the same can be said for their male counterparts.
Reverse discrimination does nothing to empower a given race, creed or gender.
Imagine how you'd feel if you run a race, come in 1st and the person that came in 4th also got a gold medal because they were also of the same race/gender/creed than you and you were seen as being from a race/gender/creed that "needed help".
Such policies while at face value seem like a great way to integrate the sexes, they also have the effect of people just assuming any female got the job because of her gender when she may have worked really hard and have been the most competitive candidate on the day regardless of gender.
I'm all for encouraging more females to the industry, I've worked with many and the majority of them are great operators. Some had issues with life out remote or with brash management styles of many of the owners out there, though the same can be said for their male counterparts.
Reverse discrimination does nothing to empower a given race, creed or gender.
Imagine how you'd feel if you run a race, come in 1st and the person that came in 4th also got a gold medal because they were also of the same race/gender/creed than you and you were seen as being from a race/gender/creed that "needed help".
Nunc est bibendum
Imagine being a female that got the gig. If you were fair dinkum about yourself you'd always be wondering if you got it on your own merits because you were among the best applicants it or if it was a token gesture. That'd do my head in.
I wonder when they'll start doing the reverse for occupations such as social worker or school teacher?
I wonder when they'll start doing the reverse for occupations such as social worker or school teacher?
Is it 50/50 across all roles in the company or is it 50/50 for each group.
It is not unusual in a corporate world to say that "Across all the jobs we advertise this year we want to aim to see a 50/50 male to female ratio". And in general, if you aren't being discriminatory, it SHOULD balance out. As there is a population balance of about 50/50. Now obviously pilots and LAMEs are more likely to be male (although is this because girls don't see it as a viable option, when people still get surprised when a female voice comes over the PA), but FA are more likely to be female. And so on. Roles such as accountants are more likely to trend towards 50/50. And across a whole company its not difficult to target 50/50.
Assuming its across the whole company and not for each job advertised, I really feel you are all brewing a storm in a teacup.
It is not unusual in a corporate world to say that "Across all the jobs we advertise this year we want to aim to see a 50/50 male to female ratio". And in general, if you aren't being discriminatory, it SHOULD balance out. As there is a population balance of about 50/50. Now obviously pilots and LAMEs are more likely to be male (although is this because girls don't see it as a viable option, when people still get surprised when a female voice comes over the PA), but FA are more likely to be female. And so on. Roles such as accountants are more likely to trend towards 50/50. And across a whole company its not difficult to target 50/50.
Assuming its across the whole company and not for each job advertised, I really feel you are all brewing a storm in a teacup.
It's what happens when the CP is a chick along with the CEO.
Interesting that pretty much all the senior flight ops management pilots have walked out and returned to the line.
Does this alarm anyone?
Interesting that pretty much all the senior flight ops management pilots have walked out and returned to the line.
Does this alarm anyone?
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no. it just shows that the old blue shirts brigade and its jobs for mates scheme is nearing the end of its time
however, the devil you know and all that i guess.
however, the devil you know and all that i guess.
So does this mean men will get favourability when applying for typically female dominated roles such as HR ?
I think it's more of the case that half of the population overlooks being an aircraft engineer as a job they want to do. But that would be sexist to point that out.
The same reason why men generally don't become nurses or school teachers.
"I've never understood why an airline would overlook half the population when searching for the very best talent to fly, service and maintain their aircraft," she said.
The same reason why men generally don't become nurses or school teachers.
"Incentives and quotas have helped reverse this situation," he said.
I couldn't live with myself knowing that there was a strong chance I was employed not because I was the best for the role, but because a quota had to be met or the company recieved some "incentive" to hire me.
"I've never understood why an airline would overlook half the population when searching for the very best talent to fly, service and maintain their aircraft," she said.
I do not claim to be an expert in JQ/QF maint, in fact I know very little, but if they outsource overseas, I hope that the Philippine/Singaporean/etc. shed is at least 50/50 split between the sexes, and within those divisions, racial and religious splits are equal too.
If JQ have to choose between an Indigenous male and a white female candidate, who do they pick?
