More educated than men but one in three women quit their job with their first child - Lifestyle

In 2018 the female employment rate in Italy was 42.5% (Istat data). The corresponding male rate was 67.6% . Employment varies within the country from 59.7% in the North to 55.9% in the Center and only 32.8% in the South. These are values ​​that place Italy at the bottom of Europe. These are some of the data that the Ministry for Equal Opportunities and the Family has collected to work on the task force on the Renaissance of women . Furthermore, according to Eurostat, by comparing the average gross hourly wages for men and women, European women earn about 16% less than men. In Italy the difference is smaller, below 10% but it is a figure that can be misleading.
When the employment rate is low, as in Italy, the selection in the labor market is greater with the consequence that only the most educated and higher-income women work.
The employment rate of mothers is lower than that of non-mother women of the same age court. According to Istat, one in three women quit their job at the birth of their first child and the exit from the job market is almost always definitive.
Earning less than men, women are the most expendable subject in the couple. For this reason, smart working could help rebalance roles.
Women in managerial positions in Italy are around 27% (Istat data) of the total number of managers. According to the latest report of the Unioncamere Women's Entrepreneurship Observatory, in 2018 female enterprises represented 21.93% of the total number of enterprises registered in the Chambers of Commerce register. Women are present in innovative work, in Italy in 2018 12% of start-ups are predominantly female (9% in France, 11% in Germany, 30% in the United Kingdom, OECD data). Start-ups with a female presence exceed 40%.
However, the low employment rate contrasts with the results in education. Italian women are now more educated than men, according to Censis, data 2019, the graduates in Italy are 56% of the total and are also the majority in postgraduate studies. They represent 59.3% of those enrolled in research doctorates, specialization courses or masters. However, they are still in the minority in Stem degree courses (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Moving from university education to an academic career, the situation changes drastically: in 2017 women represented 40% of teachers and researchers overall and made up only 23% of ordinary professors. The share of teachers and researchers in the Stem areas is low in all levels (36% in total).