Following the ongoing gender pay scandal, a major new report shows that young women are still not pursuing certain careers usually associated with men.

The report‘ Closing the Gender Gap’ by WorldSkills UK and the Careers & Enterprise Company, which surveyed 2,000 young people and 2,000 parents, makes sober reading for anyone believing that true gender equality exists.

No less than 56 % of young women( aged 17 – 19) believed that their gender limits their career options.

In contrast – only 37 % of young men felt gender limited their options – and

Dr Neil Bentley Chief Executive WorldSkills UK

were more confident about their career prospects( 77 % men – 70 % women).

It finds that our young people have more – not less – gender-conservative views

of the world than their parents. This is measured in the types of industries and the levels of pay that young people associate with men and women – exactly the

drivers of our pay gap today. The research found not only that young women aspire to lower salaries than men – by- around £ 1,000 – but also that they aspire to considerably lower salaries than their parents believe they are aspiring to.

Dr. Neil Bentley, Chief Executive of WorldSkills UK said:“ These findings are particularly shocking to me. The report is a wake-up call for all, especially when you consider that the young people interviewed were born at the turn of the 21st century. Showing that progress on gender equality is not inevitable, the findings require us to think more deeply about the influences

on young people. We want all young women to have an open mind about their career choices and make the most of the opportunities available. That’ s why we are encouraging all young people, their teachers and parents to speak with more employers, for example at the Skills Show, and understand that career choices currently should be about chasing your dreams, not following traditional paths.”

The research goes onto confirm that career aspirations showed gender disparity with 18 % more young men than women wanting to be Engineers and IT Professionals. The research also showed that these biases are

also projected onto others, with young people more likely to direct their peers into careers based on their gender, rather than their abilities and interests.

More positively, the research finds that engagement with role models from the world of work can significantly increase salary aspirations of young women.

The full report can be viewed here: https:// www. worldskillsuk. org / accelerate / our-research / current-research

worldskills. uk. org

careersandenterprise. co. uk