Member Login - Account - Logout

Science and Technology Australia
  • Home
  • About STA
    • Who is STA?
    • Our history
    • Alliances and Partnerships
    • Board
    • Governance
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Work for us
    • Policy Vision
    • Policy Wins
  • News and Publications
    • Latest news
    • Reports and publications
  • Our Programs
    • Science Meets Parliament
    • Parliamentary Friends of Science
    • Superstars of STEM
    • Science Policy Fellows Alumni
    • Super STEM communicator workshop
    • STEM Ambassadors
  • Events
    • Science Meets Parliament 2023
  • Membership
    • Our Members
    • Why be a member?
    • Member Benefits Program
    • Join STA
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
    • Media
  • Home
  • About STA
    • Who is STA?
    • Our history
    • Alliances and Partnerships
    • Board
    • Governance
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Work for us
    • Policy Vision
    • Policy Wins
  • News and Publications
    • Latest news
    • Reports and publications
  • Our Programs
    • Science Meets Parliament
    • Parliamentary Friends of Science
    • Superstars of STEM
    • Science Policy Fellows Alumni
    • Super STEM communicator workshop
    • STEM Ambassadors
  • Events
    • Science Meets Parliament 2023
  • Membership
    • Our Members
    • Why be a member?
    • Member Benefits Program
    • Join STA
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
    • Media
8 March 2018

Pay improving, opportunities for women lacking says national survey of science

2017 Remuneration Survey infographic

SEE A SUMMARY OF THE REPORTS FINDINGS

A national survey of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics workforce has yielded mixed results for women in STEM, with a smaller wage gap than in other sectors but fewer opportunities for promotion.

Overall, STEM salary increases have crept ahead of the national average, and conditions have slightly improved over the last 12 months for the STEM workforce as a whole.

However, the annual Professional Scientists Remuneration Survey conducted by Professionals Australia and Science & Technology Australia (STA) has highlighted that female scientists are not getting the same opportunities for promotion or seniority as their male peers with similar qualifications and experience.

STA CEO Kylie Walker said it’s clear this inequity still needs to be urgently addressed, and is particularly pertinent on International Women’s Day today (8 March).

“There are important national programs underway to address structural and systemic inequities, such as the SAGE program, but they will take time to have an effect on wage and promotion inequities,” Ms Walker said.

“I believe a step-change is called for, such as that created in Iceland for example, where wage equality has been protected through legislation. The gap is historic and enduring, and requires bold and significant action if we are to see change in the near future,” Ms Walker said.

“It’s great to see that our STEM professionals are being rewarded for their hard work through strong average wage increases, but we must ensure that these increases are delivered in a way that levels the playing field.”

Australia’s most comprehensive snapshot of science and technology working conditions, the Professional Scientist Remuneration Survey also found that job security remains a longstanding issue for scientists and technologists.

SEE A SUMMARY OF THE REPORTS FINDINGS

“More than 40 per cent of Australian scientists surveyed were thinking about leaving their job in the next 12 months, and many of them have cited a lack of job security as the prime reason,” Ms Walker said.

“This issue comes up every year in this survey. The casualisation of the STEM workforce and the short term funding cycle in scientific research compounds that sense of instability.

Two-thirds of Australia’s STEM professionals reported that their organisation is suffering in the face of cost-cutting and one third reported a decline in the number of scientists being promoted to decision maker-roles in their organisation.

“As a nation we’ve invested in building a strong and enviable workforce of scientific and technological researchers – they are our nation’s solution-seekers and future-builders,” Ms Walker said.

“But this survey shows through gender inequity and short-termism we are squandering this resource.

“Australia must take direct action to implement a strategic, stable, long-term approach to supporting all scientific researchers to keep defining challenges and articulating solutions for our health, wealth and wellbeing,” Ms Walker said.

A summary of the report can be found on the Professionals Australia website, and a full version is available upon request.

Media contact: Dion Pretorius | dion.pretorius@sta.org.au | 0418 281 777

Share
equity gender professional professionals australia remuneration science stem survey technology wages women
Previous StorySTA submission: Higher Education Support Legislation Amendment Bill 2018
Next StoryCelebrating our STEM leaders this International Women’s Day

Related Articles

  • The National Health and Medical Research Council’s adoption of a new target for 50% of its top-tier Leadership grants in the flagship Investigator scheme to go to women and non-binary people from 2023 is powerful global leadership to shift the dial on gender equity.
    NHMRC gender equity target shows global leadership
  • women in STEM equity
    Crucial progress for women in STEM - but much more work to do

ABOUT US

Science & Technology Australia (STA) is Australia’s peak body in science and technology. We represent more than 115,000 scientists and technologists. STA is an influential voice for evidence and expertise in public policy.

Recent news

  • Australia must not miss our ChatGPT moment
  • STA launches Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan
  • Working in STEM careers? Have your say and you could WIN a $500 JBHiFi voucher

Our members

  • All Members
  • Agricultural and Food Sciences
  • Aquatic Sciences
  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemical Sciences
  • General Science and Technology
  • Geographical and Geological Sciences
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Medical and Cognitive Sciences
  • Physical Sciences
  • Plant and Ecological Sciences
  • Technological Sciences

Search for news

Most popular

  • Working in STEM careers? Have your say and you could WIN a $500 JBHiFi voucher
  • STA launches Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan
  • STA backs Voice to Parliament
  • 2023 Federal Budget: Laying strategic foundations for science
  • Bumper boost to R&D should power Accord

Sign up to our newsletter

STA PRIVACY POLICY

OTHER STA POLICIES

Twitter feed

  • RT @prof_hutchinson: At Parliament House today talking about @OpenAI @New_GPT AI ML Deep Learning and everything in between. “It’s not ma…
  • RT @RichardMHarvey: Fascinating discussion about generative AI at this morning’s Parliamentary Friends of Science event - lots of opportuni…
  • RT @mumwhostats: Incredible discussion about the future of generative (and otherwise) AI in Australia at the parliamentary friends of scien…
  • RT @WomenSciAUST: Complete the @ScienceAU STEM Career Pathways survey. Share widely, as insights are needed from people working in STEM car…
Follow us

Science and Technology Australia Limited (ACN 664 679 056 and ABN 71 626 822 845) (STA) is a company limited by guarantee. STA was formerly known as Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies Inc and was authorised under section 82 of the Associations Incorporation Act 1991 (ACT) to transfer its registration under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) to its new company structure on 3 January 2023.

Registered charity logo
Click here for more info
  • HOME
  • News and media releases
  • Become a member
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 Science & Technology Australia. All Rights Reserved