Madam, - While concurring with Vera Hughes' sentiments about Kathy Sheridan's column "A week of rituals and partings", I would like to point out that the column had another insightful aspect that may have been missed. In noting possible future careers for the class of 2003 "artists, businesswomen, musicians, beauticians, scientists, cooks, dentists, doctors, child-carers, pharmacists and teachers", it is interesting that none of these young women were thinking of pursuing a career in engineering.
When trying to understand why the numbers of women at the top level in Irish professions are less than they might be, we often forget that if a few members of any group enter an area that it is likely that equally few will reach the top. It is often noted that young girls tend to play games that involve more role-play and understanding relationships, and that this can help them assist them in certain careers in later life.
Should they not be encouraged to play games that involve more hard-fact-based problem-solving which might allow them to develop the skills required for engineering? And while I personally dislike this gender typing of personality aspects, if we are encouraging boys to explore their "feminine" side, are we not doing a disservice to girls in not encouraging them to explore the "male" approach? Yours, etc.,
DANIEL K. SULLIVAN,
Collinswood,
Dublin 9.