Perceptions on wage labor for young women

in León, Guanajuato, Mexico

Abstract

Becoming part of the productive world is a concern to all sectors of the population; however, conditions vary depending on multiple factors. This study recovers the work experiences and expectations of a group of twenty-three young women, 16 to 29 years old, from different social backgrounds in the city of León, Guanajuato, Mexico. The information was collected using focused
interviews of open-ended questions, which promoted spontaneous dialogue from the interviewees. The questionnaire focused on four topics: their families, social environment, education, and labor environment. Their narratives contain ideas and experiences that provided a better understanding of the official statistics, which have been highlighting positive results of the economic growth of the municipality of León and the State of Guanajuato. As these young women consider their performance in the labor markets to be currently uncertain, today and in the future, as it is determined by temporary work and low incomes and characterized as well as having limited options for different work opportunities or innovative, productive activities; even if they have concluded non-traditional study
degrees offered by some higher education institutions, in the city of Leon or other cities in the region. The socio-economic position of their families and their social relationships play an essential role in their possibilities of finding a decent job in a highly subdivided society in the city of Leon, which according to some official data supported by the perception of these women, exhibits a strong resistance to include women into the labor markets.