Member Article

North East Careers Service challenges careers gender stereotyping

The National Careers Service in the North East is spearheading a campaign to challenge gender stereotypes in the workplace.

As part of the campaign, the National Careers Service is helping careers advice professionals educate students across the region on the diverse range of opportunities open to them in the North East, regardless of gender. This has included attending careers briefing at colleges and schools in the region.

Labour market research by the National Careers Service in the North East reveals:

• 21% of the science, engineering and manufacturing workforce is female.
• Women make up only 9% of the UK’s engineering professionals.
• 16% of IT specialists working in the North East are female.
• 12% of applicants to computing degree courses are female.
• Men make up less than 16% of the nursing care home workforce.
• Men make up less than 20% of the social care workforce.
• 67% of the Crown Prosecution Service workforce is female.
• About 74% of the 20,000 members of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives are women.

The National Careers Service in the North East is employing the latest technology to showcase its findings. The App - Challenging Occupational Gender Stereotyping (COGS) – funded through the Equality and Diversity Innovation Fund was designed to help address gender discrepancies in a range of professions including IT, healthcare and engineering.

Carly Hinds, Partnership Manager for the National Careers Service in the North East, said: “The App can be used to help open up the minds of young men and women in the region to the wider spectrum of careers opportunities available.

“We want to debunk the misconception that some sectors are the domain of mainly males or females.

“We are employing the latest technology through the creation of an app which challenges the gender disparities within some industries across the region such as engineering and healthcare.”

The App featured prominently in a recent event at Stockton Riverside College’s Bede Sixth Form. Alice Atkinson, Careers Coordinator for Bede Sixth Form, said: “I felt it was important for the National Careers Service to attend our Respect Festival as many young people do not realise key sectors in the North East offer great opportunities for both men and women and that employers welcome diversity.

“It is important for young people across the North East to not feel held back by their gender when pursuing a career they feel passionate about. Our work with the National Careers Service in the North East is there to encourage our students to challenge gender stereotypes within the workplace.”

The National Careers Service in the North East is behind the Supporting Inspiration project which helps young people develop an appreciation of the world of work, local labour markets, the skills needs for different business sectors and career opportunities open to them.

It has established a Supporting Inspiration portal, which aims to transform the way employers contribute to making young people in the region work-ready.

The service, which is part of the Government’s Inspiration agenda, uses the portal to match up employers willing to inform students about the world of work, with schools and colleges across the region.

It connects with employers, in Durham, Northumberland, Tees Valley, Tyneside and Wearside, who can offer a range of careers education support such as providing work experience placements, mentoring students face-to-face and online and attending careers fairs.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by National Careers Service .