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Why are women underrepresented in science and technology? Despite decades of promoting science education and diversity programs for women, few enter and even fewer persist in these lucrative and vital fields. Numerous studies examine the reasons for gender disparities in science careers, but we may have overlooked one of the biggest factors: Layoffs. Women are far more vulnerable than men to losing their jobs during economic downturns.

The expansion of internships constitutes a major shift in the transformation of work, particularly as it affects young people. Internships generally refer to a period of time when an individual attends a workplace and participates in its day to day functions, either as a mandatory or optional component of an education course, or where the arrangement is by a participant or host organization on the ‘open market’.

In Australia, as in many other countries around the world, growing numbers of women with children are turning to international au pairs to provide childcare and thus enable them to participate in paid employment. Indeed, demand for au pairs, according to industry insiders, is regularly greater than supply. As such, au pairs are an emerging aspect of the future of work for women with children in Australia.