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This report draws on the narratives of 86 young men and women (in pathways
dominated by their own — or the opposite — sex). The findings help to explain
why many trades-related occupations continue to be heavily gender segregated
despite today’s emphasis on equal opportunities, individual choice, and
limitless possibilities.
Across a range of decision making contexts (family, friends, school, and the
trades), gender stereotypes and discourses have a major influence on young
people as they imagine and try out possible selves. While this makes certain
career paths and identities more accessible depending on one’s gender, some of
the young tradeswomen we interviewed disrupted this picture. Their stories
provide insight into factors that appear to open up nontraditional
trades-related pathway options.
We build on past equality/equity strategies and young people’s own
suggestions to look at possibilities for the future. Recent shifts in the
economic landscape — the knowledge society, a new work order, and a culture of
innovation — suggest that we need programmes designed to develop the skills of
the future, and we suspect these skills will encourage a more even spread of
women and men into a transformed (and far more amorphous) trades-related
workforce. We also suggest that Ministry of Women’s Affairs might also keep a
“gender lens” on recent cross-agency initiatives designed to assist young people
in career decision making.
Ministry of Women’s Affairs,
2008.
ISBN 978-0-478-25235-4 (print) and ISBN 978-0-478-25236-1 (web)
Report: Trading
Choices: Young people's career decisions and gender segregation in the
trades [965 kb PDF]
Web Page: Trading
Choices: Young people's career decisions and gender segregation in the
trades | 
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