Pushing at an open door

Continued

There is a noticeable drop in the number of boys passing English at Higher ( 21%), compared to girls (32%), while the number of girls passing physics (6%) is far less than the boys (13%).

What impact might these differences have for the career prospects and ambitions of boys and girls leaving school?

The number of UK students has risen from around 500,000 in the 1960’s to more than 2 million to-day. Women have outnumbered men in college and university courses since the mid 1990’s and now make up almost 60% of full-time students.

And in Scotland, over 70% of female students at university study Education, Languages and subjects linked to Medicine, while over 80% of male students study Engineering, Technology and Computer Science.

How will the subject choices you make affect your future plans?

But there is nothing to stop you from going into any type of job or training you want. As long as you have the right skills, interests, abilities and qualifications.

So what is a non-traditional job?

A non-traditional job is one that has been traditionally done by the opposite gender. There are many career areas and jobs where both men and women are under represented.

At the moment more men work in engineering, construction, technology and science. Most women work in the 5 C’s - catering, cleaning, clerical, cashiering and caring.

But there is nothing to stop you from choosing a job that really interests you.