More than half of British teenagers still perceive jobs such as mechanic as male and nurse as female, according to a new poll. The survey of 1,000 13- to 17-year-olds found that 72% believe certain careers are gender-specific, with construction, childcare and beauty most associated with one gender.
The research, commissioned by housebuilding group untypical, revealed that trade roles like bricklayer, plumber and electrician are still seen as 'men's jobs', while hairdressing, childminding and receptionist work are viewed as women's roles. For instance, 47% of respondents considered engineering a male profession, yet only 12% of girls have considered it as a career, compared to 21% of girls who have thought about teaching versus just 9% of boys.
Eight out of ten girls believe they are just as capable as boys of taking on typically male jobs, and 71% of boys feel the same about female-dominated roles. However, many young people have been discouraged from pursuing a career due to fears of not fitting in (24%) or being outnumbered by the opposite sex (16%).
Parents were also surveyed: 54% think there is more acceptance of any gender in any job today than when they started working. Three-quarters (76%) of teenagers believe their generation is more accepting of breaking norms, yet 41% say not enough is done to encourage all genders into all roles.
Amelia Maydom, head of learning and development for untypical, said: 'Our findings show job roles remain heavily gendered, even though younger people claim they want to challenge these perceptions. We hope in the near future, female bricklayers and male secretaries will be seen as the norm.'
