Today's Evening Standard [London] has an article about how skill gaps are holding back economic growth and that the biggest shortages tend to be in areas where there is a gender divide.
The journalist gives the example of primary school teaching, nursery care, midwifery and adult social care as being occupations in which demand outstrips supply. These are also predominantly staffed by women and are seen generally as "jobs for the girls".
The journalist then goes on to state that "However, just as there are roles that are dominated by women, there are others that are almost exclusively male and these often tend to be higher skilled and better paid".
The article goes on to state these male dominated roles as being engineering, technology, chefs and drivers i.e. for delivery work.
This assertion has made me .
Am I wrong to feel that part of the reason why female dominated work is underpaid and undervalued is that there is this perception in society that any work that men does is automatically 'higher skilled' and therefore worthy of more pay than that done by women?
I fail to see how teaching, midwifery and social work is necessarily lesser skilled than engineering or technology, let alone a career as a chef or a delivery driver.
AIBU?
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Jobs for the boys... and the girls.
23 replies
OnwardBound · 09/05/2013 22:59
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