Emerging from the Pandemic, Survey Finds Working Women Ready for a Change

54% of Working Women Spend up to Five Hours a Day Searching for a New Job; Continued Education Identified as Key to Helping Them Return to Work and Advance in Careers

Over 2 million women left the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic and millions of jobs primarily held by women (in retail, restaurant, travel and hospitality fields) have vanished without certainty they will return. Even as industries reopen, employment opportunities are still sluggish. At April’s rate of job growth, it would take more than 2 years to regain pandemic losses. 

Women account for 72 percent of Strayer University students. Strayer recognizes that continued education is key to helping women secure more stable, higher paying, and flexible jobs that will allow them to rejoin and advance in the workforce.

To understand the current challenges facing women and find ways to support their continued education, Strayer commissioned a survey by Atomik research of more than 2,000 women. The fieldwork took place between May 1st and May 6th, 2021. Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency.