More young women in
low-paid occupations

THREE times more young women are employed in low paid, low skilled jobs than 20 years ago, according to a new study.

The TUC said the proportion of 16- to 24-year-old women in jobs such as office and hotel cleaning has increased from seven per cent to 21 per cent, while the figure for young men has increased from 14 per cent to 25 per cent.

The research also showed that gender plays a huge part in career choice, with only one per cent of women working in skilled trades compared with a fifth of young men. Four times as many young women worked in occupations such as hairdressing, leisure and travel, said the report.

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TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The youth labour market has become a much harsher place for young people over the past 20 years, especially for young women.

“While there has been a welcome rise in the number of females gaining qualifications, many still find themselves trapped in low-skill, low-wage jobs.

“This is because there are fewer good jobs out there and because young women are still being channelled down ‘traditional’ routes.

“Unless we create better training and employment opportunities for young people, as well as challenging gender roles from the 
outset, the situation will not improve.

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“We need to invest in new industries to create decent jobs and provide better early years careers support.”

Katy Jones from The Work Foundation, which conducted the study, said: “The gender gap starts early in working lives and is particularly striking in the lower half of the labour market.

“Young women tend to start work and remain in sectors with lower pay and fewer prospects.”

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