More females taking up roles in traditionally male industries

British women are urged to step out of their stereotypical roles in a bid to explore male-dominated genres and look up to successful female role-models world-wide for inspiration.

British women are urged to step out of their stereotypical roles in a bid to explore male-dominated genres and look up to successful female role-models world-wide for inspiration.

According to the Learning and Skills Council women have started carving their niche in male-dominated areas like construction, engineering, politics and finance.

Property expert, Sarah Beeny has made a mark for herself in an industry where women make up only 10 per cent of the workforce. Research has revealed that women will follow her footsteps, with one in eight females considering a career in construction.

The huge success of fund manager, Nicola Horlicks as an investment banker should be an eye-opener for women who are about to embark a career in insurance and banking. The area, that was out and out male dominated even a few years ago, employs 51% of females at the moment.

Chris Banks, chairman of the LSC, firmly believes that gender stereotypes should be overlooked during talent-hunting

According to him, if a woman’s passion is plumbing and a man is crazy about nursing, they should follow their hearts and chase their dreams. Age-old gender perceptions should not hinder his or her progress.

He adds, “A new skill is a great thing to have, and the long term prospects of career progression and an increase in income are great benefits. The future really is in everyone’s hands to make this happen for themselves.”

Politics was also a man’s domain until female dignitaries like Margaret Thatcher, Hilary Clinton and Baroness Betty Boothroyd re-affirmed popular faith in womens’ power. Since then, there has been a notably steady increase of female UK MPs from 4.3 per cent in the 1970s to 20 per cent today.

Emma Harrison, one of the country’s most successful entrepreneurs, is a revered name in the engineering industry. When she was studying her engineering degree, female learners made up only 2.6% of her class. But that did not deter her from pursuing her goal. Her determination to succeed and exploit her skills was unshakeable. It led her to build a business empire worth more than £58 million.

Men are also doing well in female dominated industries, with the likes of Nicky Clarke, Charles Worthington and Trevor Sorbie being some of the biggest names in an industry where only three per cent are men starting hairdressing courses.

Rinku Chatterjee