Dr. Rebecca Lutte, an aviation education and research expert, discusses the barriers facing women in aviation and the importance of data-driven solutions. She emphasizes the need to address negative workplace culture, including bias and harassment, as a primary barrier to recruiting, retaining, and advancing women in the industry. Dr. Lutte also highlights the importance of support structures and outreach programs for underrepresented groups. She suggests that industry and government initiatives, such as formal policies on sexual assault and harassment, can help create a more inclusive environment. Additionally, she discusses the challenges of converting student pilots to private pilots and the need for cost support and support networks. Gender disaggregated data is crucial for analyzing workforce trends and identifying challenges unique to women and minority groups in the aviation industry. It helps recognize cultural barriers and the compounded challenges faced by members of multiple underrepresented groups. The lack of data on gender, race, and ethnicity in the workforce hinders the recognition of these challenges. Companies like Boeing are leading the way by breaking down workforce data by gender, race, ethnicity, and occupational area. To attract more women to the mechanics sector, the industry needs to increase awareness of the job opportunities and provide support structures for women. Outreach efforts should focus on the under-10 age group and emphasize the cool factor of aviation. Sustaining the momentum and providing clear pathways to success are also important. More research is needed on workforce data and workplace culture to track progress and address barriers. The best advice for women in aviation is to stay curious, be willing to stretch themselves, and speak their truth loudly.

Takeaways

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