‘Staying on’, Stereotyping of Youth and Careers

The new report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), ‘Staying on’, paints a picture of the educational and career aspirations of today’s 14 to 18 year olds. Through a survey of more than 1,000 young people, findings reveal that career advice, the choice of school subjects and choice of apprenticeships and internships are all subject to stereotyping that tend to significantly impact girls, the disabled, the working class and ethnic minorities. Research on gender in internships found startling connections between stereotyped work placements and job choices – and that those from lower socio-economic groups, girls and ethnic minority students, were most disadvantaged by the current system. The gender gap in wages is partly explained by the fact that young women tend to work predominantly in stereotypical ‘female’ occupations. Despite girls’ success at schooling, three-quarters of young women still end up in the five Cs of employment – cleaning, catering, caring, cashiering and clerical. Explanations for this trend include the stereotyping of subject choices at school. Inflexibility in work also is a factor, meaning that once students have chosen a career path, they find it difficult to change. There is some evidence that teachers and others related to education may also contribute towards these trends, consciously or subconsciously encouraging boys and girls to pursue ‘gender-appropriate’ subjects. For a full copy of the report can be found: here