Working life and gender: A field research on the perceptions and expectations of university students

Societies have been in constant change and transformation in social, economic and political terms throughout history. These changes have directly affected the roles assigned to genders. Starting before the industrial revolution, these gender roles have formed the basis of domestic production. Industrialization brought with it the participation of women in the labor market. Women, who were seen as free labor force in the past, have now started to work in factories and production facilities. With this process, gender discussions in working life have come to the fore. Gender and working life are two closely related concepts. Gender is seen as an important source of inequality in working life. Gender inequality in working life is an important problem that prevents all genders from having equal opportunities in the labor market. This discrimination can manifest itself in a wide range of areas, from recruitment processes to promotion opportunities, from wage inequalities to workplace harassment. The aim of this study is to address university students' perceptions and expectations of the labor market from a gender perspective. In this context, interviews were held with university students in Kocaeli and Sakarya provinces in the thesis. In this context, students' perspectives on gender roles, their perceptions and expectations of the labor market through the concept of gender, and the gender-based problems they foresee in the labor market are revealed.