Recent trends in education and the job market are showing that the future seems to be brighter for women than any other time in history. Girls are doing better in education and more women are going to university. Is the future female in education and employment? What will be the impact on men and their prospects?

Is the future female?

It is undeniable that it seems to be a great time in history to be a woman in the western world. The UK has now had a female Prime Minister, Scotland’s First Minister is a woman and America has made history with their first female presidential candidate.

Last year it was reported that girls are doing better than boys at school which we are being told has had an impact on the more recent trend that a larger number of girls are getting university places. The BBC reported in their article ‘Why do more women get university places’, “Women in the UK are now 35% more likely than men to go to university and the gap is widening every year.”

This trend is also now being seen within the graduate job market. The AGR (Association of Graduate Recruiters) Diversity & Inclusion Survey 2016, found that female graduates are less likely to apply for structured graduate programmes than other types of work. However, when they do they are more successful at getting job offers.

However, the challenge lies in attracting female graduates to apply for these programmes in the first place. Changing the perceptions of female applicants is key. A 2015 study by accountancy firm KPMG and The 30% Club, found that 55% of females are influenced by the reputation of a sector for gender equality. This trend has also been echoed by employers’ findings.

Looking towards to the future, recruiters and employers will need to think about how they are going to change the perception that some industries are more male than female. They will also need to look at which methods they can use to attract a diverse range of candidates who are the best fit for the job.

 

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