The representation of women and minorities as federal
executives and managers is increasing, according to latest
Office of Personnel Management figures that also show that
the federal government in general employs a higher
percentage of minorities and women than the private sector.
Women are moving out of clerical and blue-collar occupations
into careers that lead to higher grades and the percentage
of women in GS-13 to GS-15 through the Senior Executive
Service and other executive levels jumped by 4,976 from
109,819 (32.4 percent) in 2002 to 114,795 (33.0 percent)
in 2003. The percentage of minorities at the same levels
rose 3,619 from 69,623 (20.5 percent) in 2002 to 73,242
(21.1 percent) in 2003 in the same period.
Women in professional and administrative positions rose
9,395 (2.6 percent), from 356,289 in 2002 to 365,684 in
2003, women in federal professional occupations increased
by 2.4 percent, and in technical occupations represented
61.1 percent of that workforce, said OPM