Employers taskforceurges female role models to visit schools
Thousands of teenage girls are looking to TV shows for career inspiration because they live in households where nobody works, a campaign group has warned.
But while television programmes showcase some professions, young girls are unsure about what educational pathway to take “to actually get that job”, the Education and Employers Taskforce has said.
As part of its Inspiring Women campaign, the charity has called for more working women to become role models and visit schools to give careers talks.
The taskforce estimates that there are 50,000 teenage girls in London living in families where nobody has a job, leading many to gain their career insights from watching characters on television.
Nick Chambers, director of the taskforce, told the Evening Standard: “These 50,000 girls don’t necessarily have role models in work. They don’t have links to different types of jobs. Often they find it very hard to get insights into the world of work and what jobs they would like.
He continued: “For many of these young people a lot of their knowledge is influenced by the television and social media. People see roles on TV – doctors or brainy scientists – and think that’s what science is all about. They don’t realise there is a whole team of people doing a wide variety of jobs, some of which they would be very well suited for.”
He added that shows such as Call The Midwife and CSI had led to an upsurge in interest in midwifery and forensic science.
“This is positive, but just seeing someone on TV doesn’t help you find out how to actually get that job,” explained Chambers. “A lot of people see a role but don’t know how to get there and what A-levels to take, especially if they don’t have a careers service or family connections.”
Chambers was speaking ahead of a large careers event being held tomorrow at Basildon Upper Academy, as part of the Inspiring Women campaign. The campaign aims to get 15,000 women to volunteer one hour per year to go into a school or college and talk to students about their career and life experiences.
The CIPD has also been working with the Education and Employers Taskforce on its parallel Inspiring the Future campaign.
The institute is urging HR professionals to engage more with schools and colleges to help improve pupils’ employability skills and bridge the gap between education and the world of work.