The Occupational Options that Working-Class Women Had in Canada, Term Paper

The Occupational Options that Working-Class Women Had in Canada, 1880-1920s - Term Paper Example Positive changes were expected in the work conditions of women by offering them jobs in such occupations that were considered a male forte earlier. Latest literature on the 1920s indicates that women were not made a part and were not awarded jobs to be benefitted from restructured and modern capitalist practices. Work practices remained partial and discriminatory for women as usual; only types of inequalities in work got changed (Strong-Boag 131). The only blurring line in failures on the part of the government and capitalist economy is not discriminating against women was regarding such professions as women doctors and lawyers, which was a very small chunk; rest of the women faced the same fate of getting employment in non-professional occupations. Career choices for women were limited to blue collar and white collar jobs. Blue collar jobs were related to personal services and manufacturing while the white collar jobs came from the sophisticated industrial state in the logistics and communication, business and finance and clerical areas where a good number of women employees could be seen off late only. There was no scope for equal opportunities in jobs in both types as was expected by the women after the end of the First World War. Women in blue collar jobs were comparatively more exploited than their counterparts in white collar jobs. They also raised their voice against discrimination at the workplace (Strong-Boag 132). One of the occupations considered suitable for women was textile industry wherein the traditional manufacturing processes were suitable for the â€Å"family† including besides the male head of the family, the wife, and the children as working in a factory. Women got their first jobs nearer their homes and familiar surrounding. It was a practice in the 1920s to offer the guide to women on such vocations by the schools, media, and employment exchanges, supporting informal traditional work setting as preferable job options. Speedier mode rnization of the Canadian economy during 1880-1920s changed the earlier informal process of taking jobs in traditional â€Å"family† settings to the formal way of recruiting by following selection criteria.