Why educational opportunities aren’t working the same for women and men

As we celebrate National Women’s History month, let’s call on employers to ensure women have a seat at the table and work to build a culture that advances all women. (Photo: Getty)

When women participate in the workforce, economies grow. For organizations, recruiting and retaining female employees is not just about contributing to a diverse and equitable workforce, but building a workforce that reflects the fabric of our country and will set companies up to compete on a global level. Yet, women still lag behind when it comes to career advancement and professional development opportunities even though women hold 56% of college degrees overall.

According to research from EdAssist by Bright Horizons, despite a pervasive interest in continued learning, women are struggling to take advantage of education opportunities, with nearly two-thirds (61%) saying they have not been able to participate in an education program in the past five years, while only 51% of men report the same, ultimately hindering their upward mobility in a company. Women are more likely (51%) than their male counterparts (44%) to say employers are not good at motivating workers to seek out education opportunities. Further, women are much more likely than men to say that they experience affordability barriers.