The conversation about gender disparities in the workplace has finally entered the mainstream, signaling progress toward fairer hiring and promotion practices. Still, achieving real professional equality in the United States requires addressing the root causes that shape career trajectories long before people enter the labor force.
Research has repeatedly shown that men and women begin diverging in career direction as early as their college majors. A well-known study from Glassdoor highlighted how many male undergraduates cluster in technical majors such as engineering and computer science, while many female students concentrate in areas like nursing, social work, and healthcare administration. Those early choices do not rigidly determine a person’s future, but the skills and credentials associated with particular fields open — or close — the door to different sets of opportunities, pay scales, and career pathways.
A Guiding Hand
Because a student’s major can have long-term consequences for earnings and advancement, access to informed mentoring and career guidance is crucial. Many students arrive at university with only a rough idea of what they want to study and lack exposure to real-world experience in potential fields. Mentors—faculty members, industry professionals, and experienced advisors—can describe daily realities, clarify career options, answer questions, and connect students to internships and job opportunities.
Professors who notice a student’s aptitude should encourage and nurture that talent. That encouragement can be the decisive factor for someone who might otherwise be steered away from technical fields. A woman with an early interest in computer science, for example, may gain the confidence to pursue the major and, with the right preparation, access career paths that typically offer higher pay and broader advancement prospects. Mentoring relationships also improve academic performance, increase graduation rates, and raise the likelihood that students will pursue graduate and professional training.
Individual merit alone does not determine long-term success. In both higher education and the workplace, high achievers often benefit from advocates who are well placed to open doors and make introductions. Building these connections is an essential part of enabling talented students to translate potential into careers.
Cultural and Social Barriers
Access to mentorship is not evenly distributed. Race, socioeconomic status, and gender often influence who receives attention and support. Students from affluent backgrounds and those who fit conventional profiles of social capital are more likely to attract mentors and professional sponsors. Others—students disadvantaged by race, income, gender, or other stigmatized social markers—tend to have fewer connections and face greater obstacles in securing the guidance that fosters career advancement.
Personal experience often underscores these structural dynamics. Many women encounter microaggressions and double standards in professional settings: behaviors that are tolerated or praised when exhibited by men can be criticized when shown by women. Navigating and overcoming such bias cultivates resilience and determination—qualities that can make women uniquely effective leaders. However, to realize these advantages at scale, colleges and employers must intentionally identify and support talented individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Closing the Gap in STEM and Beyond
The ongoing shift toward automation and technology makes gaining access to STEM education and careers increasingly important. If the gender gap in technical fields persists, women risk being excluded from the highest-growth, highest-paying roles. Closing this gap requires both cultural change inside organizations and proactive investments in university programs that encourage and prepare women for tech careers.
Universities have a responsibility to reach students who might underestimate their own potential. Programs that provide hands-on experience, visible role models, and structured mentorship help students discover and pursue strengths in science, technology, engineering, and math. Faculty and administrators can create pipelines by promoting access to internships, research opportunities, and professional networks that historically have favored a narrow subset of students.
Generational progress matters. Many families made sacrifices to improve their children’s futures; those sacrifices create a responsibility for institutions and communities to return the favor by building environments where the next generation of women can pursue their ambitions without barrier or bias. When women have the chance to innovate alongside men and to lead based on merit and preparation, businesses and society benefit.
I believe we must commit to identifying talent across all backgrounds, to mentoring consistently, and to investing in programs that prepare more women for STEM and leadership roles. Doing so will both reduce persistent gender gaps and strengthen the broader workforce for the decades ahead.
Sona Jepsen
Sona Jepsen is the global head of sales enablement at Fidelity National Information Services (FIS). She leads a team that supports global sales teams with content, strategic insights, and learning and development designed to improve performance and career growth.