Female Chinese engineers in Jiangsu Province have established the first female engineer's club on April 23, setting up a change in old-fashioned practices over gender discrimination in employment.
According to a report by Women of China, the club called Praxair was jointly organized by Nanjing Tech University and a large company based in the United States.
The report said that the establishment of the club helped change gender imbalance in employment, especially in male-dominated fields.
Women account for only 25 percent of the global workforce engaged in engineering, high tech and math sectors, according to a survey conducted worldwide.
"Some females show superior memory ability while acquiring a more logical way thinking; they maintain efficiency and a can have a more satisfactory level of productivity. Such merits could contribute a lot to the development of engineering and are useful in pioneering enterprises," Li Zhenmin, vice-chairperson of Praxair, was quoted as saying.
"Employment practices that are prejudiced against women, or prefer to see them in administration or dealing with trivial affairs, will be terminated," added Li.
The report said that there are currently 50 female students from 13 schools of the Nanjing Tech University who have been chosen to enrol into the club for further studies and future promotion at their workplaces.
Li said that the U.S.-based gases company would recruit more female employees from the existing 27 percent of all employees to 30 percent or more.
"Those 50 female talents will be among our top choices once they have finished their lectures in the club," said Li.
The report said that the club is considered by many as exclusive and special where each student is given a lecture card. Those who fail to report three times will be struck off the club's register, the report added.