LMI-Learning - Labour Market Information - Online Learning Modules - NGRF

Well first of all let's agree that there is a real problem with gender stereotyping in terms of where boys and girls end up in terms of their careers.

However, I found this press release disheartening, because I think it unlikely that careers advice (advisers therefore?) are to blame for this phenomena, and further more I don't like the underpinning assumption that it is the job of careers advisers to promote one particular profession over any other - though I do buy into the notion that careers advisers have a duty to promote equality of opportunity to all.

So, might there be a problem with this research claim? Well for a start we can't tell who was surveyed, and we don't know what constituted 'careers advice'.

In the days of connexions many young people may not actually have had careers advice in the way it would have been recognised in the past.

The research is carried out by Construction Skills.

This sector has an enormous problem with gender inbalance, and it needs to redress this to avoid significant skills shortages in the future.

Credit to the industry that they want to do something about it - however, I can't help thinking this might be an instance of a sector looking for someone to blame.

I just don't think careers advice is more than a drop in the ocean in terms of factors that lead to gender segregation in a whole range of careers.

I'd like to see a copy of the research and scrutinise how it was carried out and particularly on what basis the claim that 'almost two thirds (62%) of 11-18 year old girls would be happy to work in male dominated industries but don't get the advice and information they need' has been made.