Posted on June 13, 2014
This
week saw the publication of the final report from the Wood Commission, Developing
Scotland’s Young Workforce. The core message of the report is to better
exploit the relationship between schools, colleges, business and industry to
mitigate any mismatch between the supply and demand of skills, and deliver a
system which supports young people to make better informed choices about their
future.
Currently, youth unemployment in Scotland is 18 per cent,
double the average working age population. Young men are more likely to be
unemployed than young women, but if we consider economic inactivity, a higher
percentage of young women are economically inactive compared to men. 88 per
cent of those who are unable to work due to caring for family are young women,
compared to 12 percent of young men.
Amidst the backdrop of high unemployment and economic
inactivity, there is the perennial issue of occupational segregation in the
labour market. The stereotyping of women and men’s capabilities leads to the
undervaluing of certain occupations, which are broadly recognised as ‘women’s
work.’ Men are over-represented in engineering, construction and IT and women
are over-represented in administration, health and social care sectors, all of
which is evidenced in the Commission’s report.
Furthermore, the concentration of part-time working in lower
paid, female-dominated sectors (43% of women in the labour market work
part-time) and the lack of flexible working limits women’s employment
opportunities. The ‘sticky floor’ and ‘glass
ceiling’ effect causes women to be clustered into a few occupational sectors,
and are missing from senior roles within organisations and businesses. Occupational
segregation is one of the main causes of the gender pay gap, and part-time
working has a long-term scarring effect on women’s wages.
The report is promising in its analysis of education, training
and the wider labour market from a gender perspective recognising the impact gender
stereotyping and occupational segregation has on limiting young women’s labour
market participation, and subsequently economic growth.
Recommendations
Rather than mainstream a gender analysis throughout the
report, the Commission has opted to address gender equality within a separate
section of the report, albeit a substantial one. There are four recommendations
explicitly focusing on gender with an additional cross-cutting recommendation
on embedding equalities education across the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE):
1. Schools
Occupational segregation is partly a symptom of girls’ and boys’ early exposure
to gender stereotyping impacting on the subject choices they make in pre-school
and school education. It is encouraging to see the report highlighting the
importance of early intervention to tackle gender stereotyping.
The report calls on schools to
monitor the gender balance of subject choices, as part of broad recommendation calling
for equalities to be embedded across the CfE. Schools are being encouraged to
develop specific measures to counter gender stereotyping and to support this
work the report recommends that equality training forms part of initial
training for nursery workers, teachers and career advisors, and is offered as part
of existing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities.
2. Vocational
Pathways
There is also a focus on establishing a senior phase post-school
vocational pathway which would aim to strengthen the case for vocational
training as viable alternative to the academic route, and ensure those 50 per
cent of school leavers who don’t go to university, can positively transition
from school into college, work or work-based training. The Commission envisages
the Regional Invest in Youth Groups as a mechanism to showcase the business
benefits of gender equality in the workplace to employers.
3. College
Education
The Commission also calls on the Scottish Funding Council to
develop an action plan to tackle gender segregation within the college
education system. Colleges are also encouraged to engage with schools to
support early interventions to tackle gender stereotyping, which lead to
positive outcomes for young women and men.
4. Modern
Apprenticeships
Gendered segregation within the MA programme in Scotland has
been the focus of debate and analysis for over 10 years. It is evident the MA
programme has particularly failed young women by reinforcing gender occupational
segregation and channelling women into Level Two frameworks resulting in lower
paid employment opportunities. As the report highlights, Level Three frameworks
are more likely to deliver positive outcomes for young people and tend to be
concentrated in construction, engineering and other related STEM areas, they
take longer to complete and are regarded ‘more highly by employers and command
a higher wage premium on completion’.
The report makes an explicit
connection between post-school vocational pathway and tackling gender
segregation in Modern Apprenticeship Frameworks, and calls on key stakeholders
to take significant action. This includes a call for Skills Development
Scotland to develop an action plan to tackle the chronic gender segregation in
Modern Apprenticeships, which should include ‘realistic stretching improvement
targets’ for the most heavily gender segregated frameworks. It is essential
therefore those targets focus on attracting women into Level Three Frameworks,
such as engineering.
The Commission also wants to see
partnerships between schools, training providers, colleges, employers and
equalities bodies to help develop support networks for young people in the most
heavily segregated MAs. However, this must also include a commitment to provide
support to young women with caring responsibilities or those furthest from the
labour market to be able to engage with MA opportunities. This should include
subsidised childcare and flexible working opportunities. Unless these barriers
to participation are addressed then the vast majority of unemployed and
economically inactive young women will continue to miss out.
If these recommendations were fully realised, are they
likely to result in better outcomes for young women and men? Or perhaps there needs to be more radical
changes to the funding, delivery and design of the MA programme to enable
stakeholders to improve the outcomes for young women. For example, strategies
to support young women into training and employment, must be flexible to
accommodate women’s caring responsibilities, and might include direct support
for childcare.
The Wood Commission’s report is a welcome step in the right
direction, but the mainstreaming of gender specific recommendations across the education,
skills and training pipeline will require a concerted effort from skills bodies,
funders and, crucially, employers.
Close the Gap’s Be What You Want schools campaign aims to
tackle gender stereotyping and help young people make informed decisions around
subject choices.
Posted on June 2, 2014
in this post you will find a selection of up and coming events and programmes relating to gender and women's participation in the labour market.
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ENGENDER
Engender hosts a range of conferences, seminars, round-tables and discussions to explore women’s inequality, and share strategies to challenge it.
Some of events are members only, but all are welcome at their public events.
Open Space Workshops
Engender are working towards gaining a better understanding of women’s experiences and views of intra-Christian sectarianism.
We are holding a series of Open Space workshops to explore women’s experiences of and ideas on the relationship between sectarianism, faith, family and community. So far discussions on women and sectarianism have been focused around football and domestic abuse. The aim of these events is to bring women together to talk about the impact sectarianism has (or doesn’t have) on their lives and how women can work together to make their communities strong and resilient.
What is Open Space? The ‘Open Space’ way of working was created in 1985 and brings people together to discuss a common theme. Open Space is fully participative, there are no talking heads, and it believes that the participants are the real experts. Just come along with an open mind and your thoughts and opinions.
Open space workshops are scheduled as follows:
Edinburgh: June 3, 2014, 10.00 – 16.00 - Café Camino. Book for this event
Kilmarnock: June 11, 2014, 10.00 – 16.00 - Palace & Grand Hall Complex. Book for this event
Oban: June 13, 2014, 10.00 – 16.00 - The Regent Hotel. Book for this event
Aberdeen: June 17, 2014, 10.00 – 16.00 - Carmelite Hotel. Book for this event
For more information please contact Rosaria Votta at Engender by emailing Rosaria@engender.org.uk or call 0131 558 9596.
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SRC Women in Science, Engineering and Technology
FREE Career Development Workshop
For women with qualifications in Science, Engineering or Technology
Wednesday 4th June 2014, 10am – 4pm, Edinburgh
Do women hold themselves back? There is a considerable body of evidence which shows that women can encounter structural barriers to their progression at work in the SET professions - that glass (or sometimes concrete) ceiling. There is also evidence which points to the ‘sticky floors’ that can prevent women from making the most of their skills, knowledge and abilities – these more internal barriers which can hold women back. The good news is that there can be progress on both fronts. This workshop will look at tackling these structural barriers. Due to funding this workshop is aimed at women working in business and industry.
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WiRES is a network for women working, or who would like to work, in the renewable energy sector in Scotland. Our aim is to support women's participation in the sector through information, education, and networking opportunities.
Site visit to Gask Farm Biogas Plant
Friday, 6 June, 11.30am-5.00pm, Turriff, Aberdeenshire
Book your place now
We are very pleased to offer our members the opportunity to visit the award-winning Gask Farm Biogas Plant in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, on 6 June 2014.
The event will include transport from Inverurie train station to Turriff, a networking lunch, and an introductory presentation on AD and biogas by a representative from Zebec Energy. We will then take a guided tour at the Gask's AD plant and hear from Gask's owner Andrew Rennie about the innovative process that turns waste into a resource.
This event is organised in partnership with the Scottish Biofuel Programme.
If you have any questions, please contact us on 0141 337 8144 or email info@wirescotland.com.
Please book your place below. Final agenda and transport information to be confirmed.
Pelamis Wave Power Ltd., Leith, Edinburgh
August 29, 10.00am-1.00pm
Book your place now
We are pleased to organise a site visit for women to Pelamis Wave Power, the world’s most advanced wave energy technology company.
We will hold a presentation/Q&A session, followed by a tour of the facilities, including Control room, Fabrication bay, and Component testing/hydraulics bay.
Please register your interest below. The agenda will be confirmed in due course.
Networking Event
September 25, 6.00pm-8.00pm - Edinburgh
Book your place now
We are delighted that Judith Patten will attend our September event in Edinburgh which will be an opportunity for networking and information sharing in a relaxed atmosphere.
Judith is the founder of All-Energy, the UK’s largest renewable energy event, and winner of Scottish Renewables' Outstanding Contribution award 2012.
Please register your interest below. Venue and agenda will be confirmed in due course.
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Masterclass with Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock
University of Strathclyde, 26 June, 2014
Join physicist, engineer, and television scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock on this one day practical course to learn how to communicate your research effectively with clarity and passion.
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Delivering Human Rights
- A Constitution for Scotland?
One Day Conference GLASGOW
Human Rights Consortium Scotland
Friday, 27 June 2014 from 09:15 to 16:15
The confirmed speakers include the Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon,
Professor James Mitchell and Graham Sutherland from Fife Law Centre. The
Centre for the Study of Human Rights Law is helping us to put on this event and
our work on this project has been funded as part of our grant from the Thomas
Paine Initiative. To register for a free place and to choose your workshop
please go to http://digbig.com/5bjyha
Places are limited so you are encouraged to register promptly. Although the
places are free, please advise if you are no longer able to attend so that the
place can be allocated to someone else. Entry to the conference is by
ticket only. One week before the conference, you will be sent copies of the
final agenda, your allocated workshop and the exact venue within the
campus. Please download information about the conference and the
workshops here: Constitution Conference Guide: http://digbig.com/5bjygy
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ENGENDER
Inspiring Women: Masculinities
September 20, 2014, 11.00 – 13.00
Room 3, STUC, Glasgow
Only members can book this event. If you are a member of Engender, please sign in now to book.
Inspiring Women events bring Engender members together to consider and discuss feminist issues. They are women only spaces, and give women the opportunity to talk about their own ideas and perspectives.
This Inspiring Women will be discussing masculinities.
Masculinities and men are not the same thing. Masculinities refer to gender relations, the position of men and how people engage with that position. It is a commonly held belief that masculinity is innate and cannot be changed but there is significant evidence that there are multiple masculinities and that these change over time and that they are subject to influence.
This session gives Engender members an opportunity to reflect on the predominant masculinities in Scotland to day and how feminists can best engage with theories and practice around masculinities.
Inspiring Women: Pornography and new media
November 15, 2014, 11.00 – 13.00
The Melting Pot, Edinburgh
Only members can book this event. If you are a member of Engender, please sign in now to book.
Inspiring Women events bring Engender members together consider and discuss feminist issues. They are women only spaces, and give women the opportunity to talk about their own ideas and perspectives.
This Inspiring Women will be discussing pornography and new media.
The rise of the Internet and increased use of social media has provided millions of consumers with the opportunity to purchase and view pornography almost anonymously, and to share and abuse personal images.
This session offers an opportunity for Engender members to discuss the implications and consequences of pornography in the digital age.
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