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Children as young as six are influenced by gender stereotypes over what jobs they want to do, new research has found.
When I was six, I wanted to be an archaeologist. I didn’t necessarily understand what that would entail, but I knew I loved the ancient Egyptians. I was fascinated by drawings of Howard Carter discovering Tutankhamun’s tomb by candlelight. ‘That looks like a cool job’ I thought. And thus began years of dragging my parents to obscure historical sites.
Like most childhood dreams, that one quickly faded with puberty. But I never felt limited by my gender when it came to planning my future. I was lucky to have a mum who encouraged every wild and outrageous fantasy I conjured up. Her childhood career of choice had been ice-road trucker. Niche, certainly.
While both myself and my mum have gone on to do vastly different jobs in adult life, I’d always thought these unconventional fantasies were relatively ‘normal’ daydream fodder for young girls. But a recent study suggests otherwise.
The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) reported that a three-year study, encompassing almost 1,400 primary schools, found children as young as six are already being limited by gender stereotypes when considering potential careers.
As part of the research, the CEC sought to encourage diverse career interests among primary school children by engaging teachers and parents. By empowering young students, through workplace visits and career talks, nearly 200,000 pupils were exposed to alternative pathways and gender stereotypes were successfully challenged.
‘This pilot has shown what’s possible when schools, employers and communities come together to inspire children about their futures from an early age,’ said John Yarham, interim chief executive officer of the CEC.
Results of the study showed that girls’ interests in the business and finance sector increased by 31% over the three year period. 75% of teachers observed that, by the end of the pilot, fewer pupils felt limited by gender stereotypes when it came to career dreams.
This outcome is reassuring, but it also highlights the need for further work across the education system. Evidently, early career-related learning isn’t a ‘nice to have’ but a fundamental part of childhood development.
Gender bias is particularly prevalent when it comes to STEM subjects – creating barriers for young women from an early age. As it stands, women account for only 26% of the STEM workforce, and progress to diversify the industry is slow.
