Where do women fit into the expanding Intel workforce in Ireland?
The computer industry in Ireland has become one of the country's largest employers. US multinational Intel has a microchip manufacturing plant in Leixlip, County Kildare and where it will invest a further 1.5 billion dollars.
The Leixlip plant currently employs around 2,500 people and 40 per cent of the workers are women. While Intel claims that there is a strict equality policy in place, women are still not making it into top management positions.
The Pentium chip, which is made in Leixlip, powers many top brand computers. While much of the work at the plant is carried out by robots, the plant employs many skilled workers and many are women.
In the circuit board assembly area of the plant, there are 1,900 employees. 43 per cent of these are women. Currently, at senior management level, women account for just 10 per cent of the 132 managers.
Darina Kneafsey, Engineering Manager, says that the number of women in management at Intel is reflective of other industries. This will only change if more women are trained for jobs in a high-technology environment. Geraldine Shearan started off at Intel in an administration role six years ago and has worked her way up to become a training co-ordinator. She has ambitions for a top management position at Intel and is optimistic about achieving her goal.
There are no barriers to stop anybody getting to the top, be they male or female.
Pat Casey, human resources manager, says that Intel needs to attract appropriately qualified and experienced women to positions and to create an environment to support females in the workforce. Intel strives for a mix in gender, age and race among employees in the workplace.
Aoife MacGabhann, relocation co-ordinator, says that the culture at Intel suits certain people and most people who work there love it.
This episode of 'Nationwide' was broadcast on 6 December 1995. The presenter is Michael Ryan and the reporter is Tom Kelly.
