Wyoming is the worst state in the country for women in the workforce. That’s according to a report in the Atlantic which takes into consideration women’s average wages, their percentage of the labor force and how much they earn relative to their skills and education levels.
Carma Corra with the Wyoming Council for Women’s Issues says one of the reasons women earn less than men is that they tend to hold different types of jobs.
“In Wyoming, the higher-paid jobs in mining, transportation, communication and public utilities generally do attract more male workers,” says Corra. “Whereas the lower-paying jobs such as retail, education, clerical, social services and hotel and restaurant occupations, do attract more women than men.”
The Council for Women’s Issues hosts a career fair each year, aimed at introducing high school girls to jobs in male-dominated industries. But Corra says more needs to be done to encourage girls to pursue careers in lucrative industries and says women need to be more aggressive in bargaining for higher salaries.