WOMEN working in some traditionally male careers still face major personal and professional barriers to success, despite efforts by Government and other bodies to reverse the trend, research by North-East academics has revealed.

Some women interviewed by researchers from the University of Newcastle Small Enterprise Research Unit had chosen not to have children because they believed it hindered their career progression in science and technology.

Those with families said they were often prevented from taking part in career- developing activities, such as travelling abroad and attending conferences, because childcare was a problem.

Many claimed they had been "weeded out" of the career structure before they had reached their potential or reached the higher-level positions their qualifications and experience merited.

The report also found there were three times as many male employees as women in the science and technology companies surveyed. The average company had ten male employees compared to four female employees.

Only one in ten women worked in research and development and other scientific and technical activities, compared with 60 per cent of their male counterparts.

However, many ideas on how the UK could change for the better and encourage more women into science and technology careers are also made by the authors of the report, Gender Gap in the Scientific Labour Market.

One of the recommendations is that a platform for female scientists, to enable them to act as role models and mentors for schoolgirls and women considering scientific careers, should be established through the Science City initiative, in which the university is playing a leading part.