This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/sep/25/uk-women-lower-paid-work-figures
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| UK women remain concentrated in lower-paid work, figures show | UK women remain concentrated in lower-paid work, figures show |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Women have made great strides into Britain's workforce over the past 40 years, but remain concentrated in lower-paid, traditionally female occupations such as care services and secretarial work, according to the Office for National Statistics. | Women have made great strides into Britain's workforce over the past 40 years, but remain concentrated in lower-paid, traditionally female occupations such as care services and secretarial work, according to the Office for National Statistics. |
| More than two-thirds of 16- to 64 year old women – 67% – are in work, according to an analysis by the ONS, compared with just over half – 53% – in 1971. Over the same period, the proportion of men with a job has declined from 92% to 76%. | More than two-thirds of 16- to 64 year old women – 67% – are in work, according to an analysis by the ONS, compared with just over half – 53% – in 1971. Over the same period, the proportion of men with a job has declined from 92% to 76%. |
| Most of the progress in boosting female employment rates took place from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s, driven by anti-discrimination legislation and the shift in the economy away from male-dominated manufacturing towards services, where more women tend to be employed. | Most of the progress in boosting female employment rates took place from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s, driven by anti-discrimination legislation and the shift in the economy away from male-dominated manufacturing towards services, where more women tend to be employed. |
| Since 1991, the increase in the proportion of women at work has levelled off. | Since 1991, the increase in the proportion of women at work has levelled off. |
| While the overall pay gap between men and women has narrowed – to 10% for full-time workers – some traditionally lower-paid occupations remain overwhelmingly dominated by women, according to the ONS. For example, 82% of workers in "caring, leisure and other services", and 77% of administrative and secretarial workers are female. | While the overall pay gap between men and women has narrowed – to 10% for full-time workers – some traditionally lower-paid occupations remain overwhelmingly dominated by women, according to the ONS. For example, 82% of workers in "caring, leisure and other services", and 77% of administrative and secretarial workers are female. |
| Even among those who class themselves as professional – a group which is half male, half female – the ONS pointed to marked gender differences, with nursing the most common occupation for professional women, while for men it was better-paid programming and software development. Nurses earn an average of £16.61 an hour, compared with more than £20 for software programmers. | Even among those who class themselves as professional – a group which is half male, half female – the ONS pointed to marked gender differences, with nursing the most common occupation for professional women, while for men it was better-paid programming and software development. Nurses earn an average of £16.61 an hour, compared with more than £20 for software programmers. |
| "While the UK jobs market has become much more feminised in the past four decades, with the employment rate gap between men and women narrowing markedly, judged by the types of work we do women have made far less progress," said John Philpott, of consultancy The Jobs Economist. | "While the UK jobs market has become much more feminised in the past four decades, with the employment rate gap between men and women narrowing markedly, judged by the types of work we do women have made far less progress," said John Philpott, of consultancy The Jobs Economist. |
| "The persistence of gendered job roles leaves women at a relative disadvantage in the labour market." | "The persistence of gendered job roles leaves women at a relative disadvantage in the labour market." |
| Frances O'Grady, general secretary of the TUC, said, "all too often the jobs in the sectors where women tend to work, such as the care sector, are underpaid and undervalued. We've come a long way but sex discrimination, unaffordable childcare, a lack of quality part-time work, and the undervaluing of women's work still cast a shadow over our labour market." | Frances O'Grady, general secretary of the TUC, said, "all too often the jobs in the sectors where women tend to work, such as the care sector, are underpaid and undervalued. We've come a long way but sex discrimination, unaffordable childcare, a lack of quality part-time work, and the undervaluing of women's work still cast a shadow over our labour market." |
| Daisy Sands, of feminist campaign group the Fawcett Society, said: "The analysis shows a consistently higher employment rate for men than women. Sadly, a great deal of this difference can be attributed to our old-fashioned working practices, where combining paid work with other responsibilities is nigh on impossible." | Daisy Sands, of feminist campaign group the Fawcett Society, said: "The analysis shows a consistently higher employment rate for men than women. Sadly, a great deal of this difference can be attributed to our old-fashioned working practices, where combining paid work with other responsibilities is nigh on impossible." |
| Gary Browning, chief executive of the human resources company Penna, who helps organise mentoring schemes for students, says part of the answer lies in more access to work experience, and better careers advice for young women, starting at age 14. | Gary Browning, chief executive of the human resources company Penna, who helps organise mentoring schemes for students, says part of the answer lies in more access to work experience, and better careers advice for young women, starting at age 14. |
| "We are still not very good at giving people options in this country: 50% of all work experience comes from family connections. If 50% of work experience comes from daddy's mate, it tells you the kind of kids getting work experience and it's not going to be the lad from a single parent family in Tower Hamlets." | "We are still not very good at giving people options in this country: 50% of all work experience comes from family connections. If 50% of work experience comes from daddy's mate, it tells you the kind of kids getting work experience and it's not going to be the lad from a single parent family in Tower Hamlets." |
| The ONS's analysis does suggest younger women are managing to elbow their way into highly-paid positions in a way unprecedented in previous generations. Among 25- to 29-year-olds, for example, 47% of the top tenth of earners are women, compared with 28% among people aged 50 to 64. | The ONS's analysis does suggest younger women are managing to elbow their way into highly-paid positions in a way unprecedented in previous generations. Among 25- to 29-year-olds, for example, 47% of the top tenth of earners are women, compared with 28% among people aged 50 to 64. |
| Much of the recent increase in women at work has come from mothers, more of whom continue in jobs after having children, helped by improved maternity leave and the availability of flexible working. | Much of the recent increase in women at work has come from mothers, more of whom continue in jobs after having children, helped by improved maternity leave and the availability of flexible working. |
| The ONS has collected data on the proportion of mothers who work since 1996, when it was 67%. It has since risen to 72%, partly as a result of changes in the benefits regime for single parents. | The ONS has collected data on the proportion of mothers who work since 1996, when it was 67%. It has since risen to 72%, partly as a result of changes in the benefits regime for single parents. |
| There are considerable regional differences in the employment rates of women: the highest rate 79%, in the Orkneys, while the lowest is 50%, in Birmingham, with Nottingham, Coventry and Leicester all scoring 55% or below. | There are considerable regional differences in the employment rates of women: the highest rate 79%, in the Orkneys, while the lowest is 50%, in Birmingham, with Nottingham, Coventry and Leicester all scoring 55% or below. |
| The ONS says this is partly because of large student populations in these cities, but may also result from ethnic diversity, with women among some ethnic groups more likely to remain at home caring for children. | The ONS says this is partly because of large student populations in these cities, but may also result from ethnic diversity, with women among some ethnic groups more likely to remain at home caring for children. |
| Privilege's story | Privilege's story |
| At the age of 19, Privilege Saungweme runs her own clothing business and is acutely conscious that she has enjoyed opportunities that were never available to her mother's generation. | At the age of 19, Privilege Saungweme runs her own clothing business and is acutely conscious that she has enjoyed opportunities that were never available to her mother's generation. |
| "She would never have thought this could happen for me," said Saungweme, who moved to Britain in 2004 aged 10. Until then she lived with her grandmother in Zimbabwe while her mother worked as an NHS nurse, saving up to bring her two daughters to the UK and get them through secondary school in London. | "She would never have thought this could happen for me," said Saungweme, who moved to Britain in 2004 aged 10. Until then she lived with her grandmother in Zimbabwe while her mother worked as an NHS nurse, saving up to bring her two daughters to the UK and get them through secondary school in London. |
| Today, Saungweme makes bespoke African print clothing, juggling the business with a part-time job at a security firm and a degree course in accounting and French. | Today, Saungweme makes bespoke African print clothing, juggling the business with a part-time job at a security firm and a degree course in accounting and French. |
| She thinks there are plenty of options for young women, but the messages are confusing about the support available for jobseekers. | She thinks there are plenty of options for young women, but the messages are confusing about the support available for jobseekers. |
| "There are opportunities for young women to work and get into work but I don't think many people are aware of that," she says. | "There are opportunities for young women to work and get into work but I don't think many people are aware of that," she says. |
| When she came home to Luton this summer from her first year at university, she was surprised to find that two of her schoolfriends were pregnant rather than in jobs or education. "It's the environment. They don't know of the opportunities that are available to them," she said. | When she came home to Luton this summer from her first year at university, she was surprised to find that two of her schoolfriends were pregnant rather than in jobs or education. "It's the environment. They don't know of the opportunities that are available to them," she said. |
| She attributes her own path to university and her Modern Heritage business partly to having a strong female role model in the shape of a business mentor. Saungweme recalls: "She asked me: 'How are you going to get to where you want to be?'" | She attributes her own path to university and her Modern Heritage business partly to having a strong female role model in the shape of a business mentor. Saungweme recalls: "She asked me: 'How are you going to get to where you want to be?'" |
| Her mentor, the boss of an interior design company, pushed Saungweme to raise her average sixth-form grades from C to A and to get into Aston University. | Her mentor, the boss of an interior design company, pushed Saungweme to raise her average sixth-form grades from C to A and to get into Aston University. |
| "She was showing me how she got started and now I own my own business." | "She was showing me how she got started and now I own my own business." |
| It was at sixth-form college in Luton that Saungweme signed up with Career Academies UK, a charity that helps young people find work experience and mentors. She got an internship with a security firm and still works there during her holidays. | |
| Saungweme wants other young women to do their own research into what opportunities are available, but feels they often face a hostile work environment. "I think it is quite intimidating for certain roles. Where I am based, for the last two years, I have been the only girl," she said. "You see women coming in for interviews at workplaces and companies are going to employ people that they are going to get on with, someone who will fit in every day, so often they are more receptive to men." | Saungweme wants other young women to do their own research into what opportunities are available, but feels they often face a hostile work environment. "I think it is quite intimidating for certain roles. Where I am based, for the last two years, I have been the only girl," she said. "You see women coming in for interviews at workplaces and companies are going to employ people that they are going to get on with, someone who will fit in every day, so often they are more receptive to men." |
| Katie Allen | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |