Study reveals young women fail to challenge stereotypes

Young women are turning to “gender-stereotypical” careers such as hairdressing, beauty therapy and social work because they are receiving “weak” careers advice in schools, a report has found.

Childcare and health careers were also among the favoured jobs of young women who were not stirred to challenge workplace stereotypes, said the Ofsted study.

The report into girls’ career aspirations, based on findings collected from 16 primary schools, 25 secondary schools and 10 colleges, found not enough was being done to promote confidence, drive and ambition of girls to challenge vocational stereotypes.

“From an early age, the girls surveyed had held conventionally stereotypical views about jobs for men and women,” the report said.

“They retained those views throughout their schooling despite being taught about equality of opportunity and knowing their rights to access any kind of future career.”

Inspectors found girls aged 11 to 14 had limited understanding of how course and career choices influenced pay and progression.

In the colleges visited, the female pupils were more likely to choose courses in health, social care, childcare, hairdressing and beauty therapy while the construction, motor-vehicle and engineering courses were predominantly occupied by male students. The study also found that only 164 out of 1,725 pupils embarked on non-stereotypical work placements.

It said: “Whether these young women had found their own work placement or it had been chosen for them, the placements were almost all stereotypically female. The most common placements for young women in the schools visited were in education, hair and beauty establishments, offices, retail and healthcare.”

Most young women are heavily influenced by family and friends when choosing work, it was found.

The schools watchdog urges schools to encourage female pupils to meet professionals working in non-stereotypical roles and set up diverse work placements.