Industry Diversity
In the UK there is only one female in every
1,000 electrical contractors, and there has been little upwards movement for decades.
society places on young women and how it impacts their own thinking. A 2017 Certsure survey showed that 82 per cent of Joint industry Board members would be happy if their daughter became an electrician. However, only 8 per cent of these daughters had actually considered becoming one. Attitudes are changing but clearly not enough is being done to encourage young women to pursue a career in the electrical industry. At the same time, perceptions of what represents a ‘worthwhile’ or ‘suitable’ job for a woman is likely putting many off. Until we address these issues, young women will continue to limit their career options and potential. Perhaps the most crucial place to intervene is in education. Over three-quarters (77 per cent) of parents and guardians feel their daughters are not given information about trades, and 87 per cent claim there is a lack of encouragement at school. Aspiring to university is a noble goal, but it should not be considered the default option for
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students. Apprenticeships in the electrical industry provide great opportunities and hands- on experience that is hard to find elsewhere. While it will be difficult to achieve when so much importance is placed on university league tables, we need to push schools to properly educate our kids on all the options available. Simultaneously, we must also fight the
impression that the electrical industry is a man’s world. A career as an electrician can be exciting, sociable and, above all, rewarding. We can always talk to our children about how lucrative it can be, but is that what is most important to them at that age? To improve the industry’s reputation and encourage more young girls to take an interest, we need to be better at explaining to our kids that being an electrician is fun. Fundamentally, male or female, what a person
needs to be a successful electrician remains the same – determination, professionalism and the will to succeed.
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