A Study on the Career Advancement and Retention of Highly Qualified Women in the Canadian Mining Industry

ii The gender imbalance in the Canadian mining industry is considerable and persistent. Despite a substantial forecasted labour shortage, women represent only 14% of the national mining workforce. This research investigates the underutilization and under-representation of a specific labour subset, namely Highly Qualified Women. Highly Qualified Women (HQW) are women who have obtained a Bachelor’s degree or higher. HQW represent a substantial source of technical and leadership capacity for the mining industry. This research study used an online survey as the primary methodology for data collection, and the survey resulted in a sample of 163 HQW respondents. From the responses, HQW career paths were mapped and their perceptions on mining workplace culture and career barriers were analyzed. Results indicated two distinct career pathway trends for HQW in the mining industry. ‘The Specialist, ’ a career characterized by multiple professional scientific an