A survey, of 2,000 women, revealed 85% believe that, despite huge advances in gender equality, there are many jobs that are still seen as being more suited to men. Truck drivers, builders and plumbers are also among the top 20 careers women see as being dominated by males. And one in 10 have even avoided applying for a job over concerns they wouldn’t be as successful as their male counterparts.
Among the barriers preventing women from entering male-dominated careers are work-life balance issues (51%), stereotypes that mean they won’t ‘fit in’ (41%) and the gender pay gap (38%).
It also emerged 27% would have been more likely to consider a career in STEM earlier on if they’d better understood the industries at a young age.
While 77% don’t know any female engineers, with three in 10 not pursuing a career in this area because they don’t hold the necessary qualifications.
The study was commissioned by British Gas, ahead of Women in Engineering Day (June 23rd), as part of its ambition to encourage more women to enter the engineering industry by improving diversity within the sector.
Jana Siber, managing director of British Gas Services and Solutions, said: “It’s clear from this research that while the industry is making great progress to provide better opportunities for all, there is still more to be done.
“As a company, we believe it’s vital that we reflect the diversity of the customers and communities we support and make engineering a prosperous career for everyone.
“To achieve that, we must do everything we can to close the gender gap in the industry and inspire more women to choose a career in engineering.
“A huge part of this is the work we are doing through our apprenticeship programme. We are recruiting a new apprentice every day until 2030 – and we want half of them to be female.”
When asked what more could be done to empower women to apply for what can be seen as male-orientated roles, greater visibility of women in STEM industries (53%) and more females at board level (44%) were key. Although 43% feel more progress had been made in the last five years to improve gender equality within the workplace.
The research, carried out via OnePoll, found the average female felt they decided which job they wanted to pursue by the age of 21. But 26% believe they made this decision before reaching adulthood.
As a result, 21% think it’s too late for them to change careers, and 18% wouldn’t know how to get into the STEM industry or where to start.
Isaura Johnston, an engineer at British Gas, said: “I joined the apprenticeship scheme during the pandemic, making a huge career change from being a sports and fitness instructor.
“I loved it and there was a 50/50 split between men and women in my group at the training academy. The trainers and mentors were a mix too so nothing felt male-dominated, and I’ve never felt like my gender has held me back.
“For anyone who is looking for a new challenge, I’d say apprenticeships are a fantastic option whether you’re at the beginning of your working life or are looking to retrain. Engineering certainly gives you a lot of rewarding moments.”