Gender bias hampers girls’ job prospects

More than a third of girls and young women have received careers guidance that reinforces gender stereotypes.

Research published by Girlguiding UK, the youth organisation which runs the Brownies and Guides, indicates that careers advice for young women “remains strongly prejudiced by gender.”

Around 300 Girlguiding UK members aged 14-26 took part in the research, with 35% feeling that being female affected the advice they were given. Overall, the participants were twice as likely to have been actively encouraged into traditional “women’s jobs” than to be directed towards work associated with men.

More than half (57%) were given information about teaching, and 43% about childcare. But fewer than a third were told about opportunities in IT (29%) or business (28%) — and the figures were even lower in relation to engineering (21%), construction (9%) and plumbing (6%).

One participant said she felt she had been “pushed by teachers and career advisers to pursue a traditional female line of work — for example, childcare or hairdressing”.

Almost all (95%) felt that there should be better training for teachers and careers advisers, with large majorities calling for better information on where to go for advice and support (89%) and more non-traditional work experience opportunities (87%).

Commenting on the findings, chief guide Liz Burnley said: “Outdated gender barriers must be broken down so young women can determine their own successful career paths.”