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European Examples of Good Practicein Careers Guidance

Breaking the Barriers

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Front Cover Illustration: Association FETE - Féminin Technique, Dijon, France

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European examples of good practice in careers guidance

Contents PageForeword 4

Chapter 1 The Context of Careers Guidance in each Partner Country 9Chapter 2 Best Practice examples:

2.1 Stereotyping and Prejudice 152.2 Promotion of Choice 202.3 Language and Image 252.4 Support and Encouragement 27

Chapter 3 Conclusion 31Appendices Key Words and Meanings 32

References and Resources 34

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We hope that our examples will be useful for all those working in the fields of careers guidance and counselling includingcareers advisers and counsellors, teachers, employers, training providers, and policy makers.

Foreword Welcome to the EQUAL transnational European Examples of Good Practice in Careers Guidance. The partners are allworking to promote gender sensitive careers counselling within non-traditional careers, and have produced this booklet toshare practical ideas of how to challenge barriers and overcome occupational segregation.

The booklet sets the scene for careers guidance and counselling within the partner countries, and includes case studiesof girls and women who have made a non-traditional career choice. The partners have a wealth of experience working inthis field, and want to ensure that their experience is shared within the wider community.

Our Vision StatementWe want girls and women to be able to choose a career based on their interestsand abilities, to be supported in that decision, and meet no resistance based ontheir gender.

We know that this world is not available yet, but these projects have beenworking across Europe to identify and develop best practice in addressing thebarriers girls and women face when accessing careers that have not beentraditional choices.

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The partners who have contributed to this booklet are:

JIVE Partners Bradford College, GB

Sheffield Hallam University, GB

Equal Opportunities Commission, GB

Women IT University of Oulu, Finland

LIFE eV Berlin, Germany

FETE Women into Technology, Dijon, France

partnerssupporting women in engineeringc o n s t r u c t i o n & t e c h n o l o g y

Jive

Jivepar tne rs

suppor t ing women in engineer ingc o n s t r u c t i o n & t e c h n o l o g y

creating change for women

construction & technology& girls in engineering

creating change for women& girls in engineeringconstruction & technology

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A message from Marjo Matikainen-Kallström, Graduate Engineer& Member of the European Parliament 1996-2004, Finland

Dear European technology women

Segregation of the labour market is a wide-spread problem in Europe. A lot of special attention has been paid to it by theEuropean Union over a long period of time. The Equal-community initiative programme of the European Social Fund - thatfinances your project – brings some relief for the dismantling of this segregation.

The member states of the European Union have to maintain the aim and objective of increasing equality between gendersalso in their future politics. Only persistent work and politics can secure the realisation of equality in EU co-operation.

Women have a lot to offer within the fields of technology and industry that are dominated by men. Women contribute anew form of creativity especially in the area of applying technology for they are often interested in people – the very usersof the applications. In addition to this, women often want to ponder over what technology is being used and how theknow-how of different fields can be combined in technology. This wider perspective can be justified by saying, forexample, that women are often not interested in technology as such but rather they critically think about how technologycould be utilised and for what it is needed. Women are also needed in the leading positions for they have, according todifferent studies, excellent qualifications for first and foremost leading and managing personnel.

The more active participation of women balances and completes the working environments in the fields of technology andindustry that are dominated by men. The empowering of women so that they would work in the field of technology couldalso help to narrow the gap between men and women in terms of pay. This gap is a large-scale problem in Europe.

Mentoring and other measures of support aimed at women must also be developed in the future. It is not enough thatwomen are tempted to study the fields in question. In addition to this, special solutions are needed within the working lifein order for women to stay in the jobs within industry and technology.

I wish all the best to your projects which aim at motivating and encouraging girls and women to turn to the jobs in thefields of industry and technology. I know from my own experience that they have made an interesting career choice thatwill enrich their lives.

Marjo Matikainen-Kallström

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Statement of Eveline von Gäßler, Head of Division “Equal Opportunities in Education and Research”, Federal Ministry of Education and Research

The transition from school to vocational training or academic studies is crucial for future opportunities and prospects inworking life. Gender stereotyping and other kinds of barriers still prevent girls choosing a career in technology and otherfuture oriented occupational fields. Among the 400 state recognised occupations in Germany there are just ten whichattract more than 50% of female school leavers: office administrator, shop assistant, hairdresser. Among the “Top Ten”occupations for the boys (about one third of the boys vote for these) we find car mechanic, electrician and joiner. In thefuture oriented occupations of the ICT sector there are predominantly boys and just 14% of girls.

The German federal government, partly with the aid of European funding, has been active for many years in promotinginitiatives and programmes to overcome the educational and occupational segregation by gender. Nation widecampaigns like “Girls’ Day”, projects like “idee-it”, “LizzyNet”, “Joblab” and the assessment center “TASTE” of Life e.V.help to encourage girls to take up non-traditional and future oriented careers and challenge the gender awareness oftrainers, teachers, careers counsellors and employers.

This brochure presents European best practice examples to support gender equality in careers choices. I am sure that itprovides the inspiration needed for gradually turning the vision statement of this European partnership into reality.

Eveline von Gäßler

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A message from Claude Darciaux, Députée, Dijon, Burgundy, FranceWidening the career choices open to women is an important factor in the drive towards genderequality.

In France, the small percentage of women in technical and scientific professions is one of the mainaspects of discrimination in the workplace: women are more often unemployed than men, less wellpaid, more often in unstable or part-time work. One of the reasons for this is that the labour marketopen to women is restricted to a small number of typically female professions, even though thenumber of working women is on the increase, as is their level of qualification.

Spectacular progress has, however, been made over the past decades: an increase in the schoolingof girls, a better gender balance in training, women entering traditionally male professions (medicine, law, the armedforces), as well as the legal recognition of the notion of gender equality in the workplace.

But cultural resistance remains and laws alone will not suffice to overcome the deep-rooted prejudices and stereotypeslinked to gender. Gender equality in the workplace remains a goal still to be achieved.

In this context, by giving such priority to gender equality, Europe is setting an example and providing an incentive tonational governments.

Within the framework of European programmes, transnational partners are exchanging experience and engaging incommon reflection to bring about greater equality between men and women through changes in careers guidance,training and employment practices. These common initiatives are of prime importance, both present and future, if we areto ensure that society is not deprived of half the workforce, i.e. women.

The proportion of men and women in the workplace should clearly reflect a gender balance, on the basis of equivalentskills, experience and profile.

Claude Darciaux

A message from Anne Madden, Equal Opportunities Commission,Great BritainAlmost 30 years after the Sex Discrimination Act, occupational segregation continues to be one of the main causes of thegender pay gap and a major barrier to equality. Three quarters of working women are found in just 5 occupational sectorswhere pay is significantly lower than in those sectors in which men predominate.

We believe that the products of this partnership can support positive change in culture and practice and reduceoccupational segregation. New resources and expertise can help to make a positive difference and to close gender gaps.

Chapter 1

The Context of Careers Guidance in Each Partner CountryThis section gives a very brief overview of the guidance system within each partner country.

A Guidance system is

" a revealing lens through which to seek to understand another country. It brings into focus the educationand training system and the economic system, and the relationship between the two. It also illuminates thesocial and political structure, and cultural factors concerning the relationship between the individual, thefamily and the wider society." (Watts,p366, 2001)

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Continuing Education

University Polytechnic

Upper Secondary Vocational Education and Training Institutions

Lower Secondary Comprehensive

Employment Office

Vocational Guidance and Career PlanningEducational and Vocational Information ServicesEmployment Exchange Service

University and Polytechnic

Specialist CounsellorsCareers Service CentresIntegrated into other instruction

Schools

Student CounsellorsTeachersClassesCareers Service Centres

Finnish Education and Careers Guidance

Working Life

19-25

16-19

13-16

German Education and Careers Guidance

Working Life

18-23

15-19

10-16

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Continuing Education(general, vocational,scientific)

In-company continuing education, evening classes, fulltime adult education college, trade and technical school

Secondary General Intermediate Grammar ComprehensiveSchool School School School

Employment Office: A career counsellingservice for all persons participating or wantingto participate in labour market

University and Polytechnic: For students andthose interested in taking up study

Education: A vocational guidance programme‘arbeitslehre’ is delivered within secondarymodern schools. In grammar schools guidanceis less aimed at vocational choice and moretowards academic choice. Delivered by schoolpsychologists, counsellors and teachers

Private and Public Institutions also offercounselling services

University,Fachhochschule

Dual System, p/t vocationalschool and in companytraining

Vocational Extention School, Full-time vocational school, fachoberschul

GrammarSchoolClasses

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Continuing Education

University Level Non UniversityEducation Level Education

General and/or Vocational Lycee ApprenticeshipsTechnical Lycee

Secondary School SecondaryGeneral Education School Technological

ANPE National Agency for Employment

Provides guidance to job seekers (adults) onlocal labour market

Adult Guidance Centres

There are many regionally and locally basedspecialist adult guidance centres and activitiesrun by a variety of organisations

CIO (Centre d’Information et Orientation)

Guidance to young people and adults.Counsellors also work in Secondary Schools

French Education and Careers Guidance

Working Life

19 plus

16-19

11-15

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Continuing Education and Training

University Level FE CollegesEducation

School Sixth Form FE Colleges Sixth Form Colleges

Comprehensive Grammar SchoolsSecondary Education

In England guidance for adults is provided through arange of services including Advice and Guidance(sometimes linked to Connexions)

Universities have their own careers departments forstudents

Wales and Scotland have an all age integrated careers service that works with education, employersand all interested parties

Connexions Service in England offers a careersguidance service for all young people to age of 19.Including careers centres and advisers in schools andcolleges

British Education System

Working Life

19+

16-19

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Some Contextual DifferencesThere are many differences and similarities between the guidance systems in the partner countries. These differences andsimilarities will depend on the education and training systems, the social and political structure of the country, and thecultural factors that influence how the individual relates to family and society. However for the purposes of this bookletthere is one important factor that impacts on career choice – the position of women in society.

Some examples illustrate the contextual differences:

Finland has a high investment in education and in family and welfare support systems in childcare. This has a directimpact on women’s participation in the labour force. France has a clear policy of supporting childcare enablingwomen’s access to employment.

Because of an economic crisis in Germany there is a decline in the number of trainee positions available in industryand trade. This makes the access to training a crucial issue in Germany, with its highly structured dual system oflearning, and in Great Britain as well where there is a perceived lack of investment in training opportunities.

Graduates in Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction

UK France Germany Finland

120

100

80

60

40

20

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Partner CountriesFemale grads in eng, man & con Male grads in eng, man & cons

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European examples of good practice in gender sensitive careers, guidance & education

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Chapter 2

Good Practice ExamplesWe have identified four broad headings under which to allocate the examples of work carried out in thepartnership: Stereotyping and Prejudice, Promotion of Choice, Language and Image and finally Supportand Encouragement. The following pages explain the meaning of these headings and illustrate examplesof work by the partners under these four headings.

2.1 Stereotyping and PrejudiceBreaking down stereotypes is not an easy task. The perceptions of all those involved with career choice can be influential,including self stereotyping, peer attitudes, parental views as well as the views of careers professionals and employers.

Training for careers professionals has been identified by the partners as a key means of addressing stereotyping, andbringing about real change. Intervention at critical life course points can help to make a difference to individual girls andwomen, and guidance professionals have a responsibility to be gender sensitive.

Great Britain

JIVE Partners have developed and delivered training for careers professionals across England and Wales, whichencourages them to see their role as agents of change. The training, normally delivered over one day, offers practicalways of overcoming gender stereotyping using case studies and good practice models of how to engage the interest ofgirls and women in exploring occupations that are often assumed to be 'for boys and men'.


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discussing case studies examining real issues that careers professionals come up against

a video /dvd of young women in engineering and construction talking about the barriers and guidance they received

exploration of barriers to girls and women

a chance to identify good practice

an opportunity to plan a taster event or a girl’s day

action planning to identify own strategies for change

What do participants say?'Excellent, my motivation to continue an interest has soared.'

'Lots to go back and discuss at the office.'

'Very good. I came with mixed feelings and have left enthused to do something.'

Participants have gone on to follow up the training withorganising specific activities to promote non traditionalcareers for girls such as taster days and conferences withlocal colleges and universities, as well as to challenge theirown practice. A good example of this occurred in a Welshtraining day - one careers adviser's action plan was to"challenge a stereotype at least once a day."

“I always made it clear that I wanted a career. It was up tome to go on and do that.

My parents they’ve always supported me. For them it wasmore trying to understand what I was doing.“

Nasreen Aziz – Returning Surveyor

During the training, participants take part in the following exercises:

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Finland

WomenIT and their partners have been delivering training to Careers Counsellors, Employment Office staff, PlanningOfficers and other volunteers who have been involved in the project. The training has also included activities eg practicaltraining in technology/industry, girls’ days, counselling groups and study visits to companies.

The training was 8 days long delivered over one year and the themes of the training consisted of

Upbringing, education and a life career course

Gender sensitive Career Guidance and Counselling

Gender and Work Organisations

Organisational Development and Gender Equality Planning

The trainers have been top specialists, eg with a PhD in gender sensitive career guidance, with a PhD in psychology anda consultant in equality planning. According to the feedback, this training has seen a real process of change amongst theparticipants. They have gained lots of new ideas and made changes in their professions even though some weresceptical in the beginning. The participants have been able to apply their knowledge in gender sensitivity and equalityissues in their professional environment. During the training, they started to observe their own counselling process andhave made changes if needed. Several articles have been published in local newspapers and trade union reviews ofWomenIT careers guidance activities in Finland.

“I have become much more aware of genderissues in counselling”

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Germany

A Gender Workshop for Vocational Trainers delivered by LIFE e.V. : when two people do the same...

A German saying goes “When two people do the same thing, it’s not the same thing done!”

That’s what we called our one day workshop for vocational trainers in firms and companies – referring to the differentperception of men’s and women’s behaviour. In this workshop we wanted to discuss the role and impact of gender issuesin technical vocations. The reason why we put up such a workshop was the widespread experience that bigger technicalcompanies in Germany often wish to attract more young girls to their vocational training but still numbers are very small.

What we wanted to offer was a practical workshop in which we work within the context of the trainers and avoid too muchtheory.

So we put the focus on “Young women in technical and manual trades: how to recruit female skilled workers”. Our firstgroup was mixed (6 women, 6 men), most of them came from the industries. All of them came from companies who wantto attract more girls and have already tried out several activities but are not as successful as they would like to be. Theparticipants were not sent by their employers, they were self-motivated. Some of them acknowledged that they have verylittle experience with girls in technical vocations and therefore probably had a lot to learn.

During the workshop we dealt with the following subjects:

prejudices and clichés about women in technical professions

change of skills needed in technical professions during the last 20 years and skills girls could bring

communication and learning styles of women and men

access of young girls to technical professions

minority situation of girls in technical vocational training.

One of the most important results was, that trainers became more sensitive to the differences which do exist between girlsand boys generally concerning their access to technical jobs: often girls have less practical experience, are sometimesinsecure, lack confidence that a technical job is the right choice for them, and often they have broader interests than boysincluding languages, economy, arts. One has to bear that in mind when recruiting and selecting girls. For instance incomparison to boys, girls applying for a vocational training might seem less interested for these reasons.

Most of the differences we discussed were not accepted as being due to gender but were seen as personal differencesonly. Just one point was accepted by most of them: that girls tend to underestimate what they know and can do (boys onthe contrary overestimate it). Another point is that the skills needed for professions have been identified as stronger ingirls e.g. team work ability, communication skills and that therefore they might advertise these much more whenaddressing schoolgirls. These skills should play a more important role in the selection process for new trainees as wellas in everyday vocational training.

Obviously such workshops do help trainers to see things with different eyes – but a one day workshop can hardly initializechange. Since we cannot accompany the whole process within each participating company, we will offer a follow-upworkshop where we want to focus on actions that the trainers themselves can take within training situations and whenmarketing for schoolgirls. Seeing that the companies’ culture as a whole is the subject for such a change we have juststarted with a small first step.

France

The French partners, FETE are involved in an Equal project - 'New Players for Equal Opportunities in TechnicalProfessions' that aims to improve access to technical careers for women, by changing the practice of careers advisers,trainers and employers who intervene to different extents at different points in a woman's career. Those taking part willgain an 'Equal opportunities - desegregated employment' label as certification of gender sensitive practice. One of thecommon work themes for the partners involved in the project is training on gender and non-discrimination between menand women. The first step involves pooling existing training tools, and then modules are being created based on theknowledge and the experience of the member.

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2.2 Promotion of ChoicePromoting choice of women and girls is necessary as a means of overcoming some of the stereotypical attitudes tocareer options. Girls and women may not even be aware that they can make the choice of a non-traditional vocation.

France

The Crossroads Event held in Dijon, Burgundy is an annual event that is organised in partnership with the Delegation forWomen's Rights and the Education Offices as well as with local partners such as town halls and the Companies House ofthe Yonne (Dijon, Auxerre, Sens, Chalon, Macon, Nevers). The event has been running since 1998 and attracts up to 600young women and 300 parents. The event brings together Careers Guidance Professionals and others who can meet thecollege and lycèe students and give individual advice about and share experiences of careers in technical subjects thatare non traditional for girls to choose.

Case Study - Nadège Quarrey an electro-technical maintenance technicianwith SNCF Laumes (Burgundy)

Nadège Quarrey, first came into contact with FETE in 1999, when she was unemployed and they helped her retrain andfind her present job. Nadège regularly attends the Crossroads Event.

A partnership between SNCF Laumes and FETE has enabled young women to become qualified in technical trades since1993, with SNCF recruiting 2 young women every 3 years. Nadège Quarrey is one of these young women. After haltingher studies at BEP level, she took time out to look after her daughter. In 2002 she started studying again and passed anElectro-technical BEP, then a Professional Baccelaureat in Equipment and Electrical Installations, through the training withSNCF. On completion she was then employed at Laumes.

Why do you like technical tasks?Me...I like knowing how machines function, I've always liked that, even when I was little I took my parents' machines apartto see how they worked inside and I naturally continued along that path.

How are things with your colleagues?My colleagues are essentially men. We are only 30 women in a workshop of approximately 250 people in execution andproduction. It is true that I started in an exclusively male team, I am the first female to have integrated into this team. Thereactions were mixed: they tease, they play, sometimes you have to prove yourself, you need to know where to draw theline.

What advice would you give to other young women?You have to say that you have the ability to get there, it’s not a problem.

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Great Britain

At Let’s TWIST, Bradford College great emphasis is placed on raising girl’s awareness of opportunities in engineering andconstruction. The aim of these events is to challenge stereotypes that are still held by many girls about what engineeringand construction are about and its suitability as a career for girls.

The girls take part in hands-on engineering projects, design and make something for themselves, work in teams todevelop presentational skills, talk to women students and staff from technical colleges and meet women engineers to talkabout their work and careers. On the final day parents and teachers are invited to hear presentations.

‘I would like to thank the people who organised this event as Ihave really enjoyed the experience. I am now thinking aboutengineering being an option when I am older’.

‘They have changed a lot [my ideas] because I thoughtengineering was just for males and not females but now Iknow it’s for females too. It’s also very interesting’

‘I enjoyed the practical project and I liked talking to womenengineers because I found out what it was like to be an engineer’

‘I think visiting the FE college was interesting because if I wantto do an engineering course I know what life will be like in thefuture [at the college].’

‘[I liked] meeting all the women engineers [the best] andseeing how things worked in real factories. I have reallyenjoyed this whole programme’


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Germany

The TASTE project (a play on words in german: Technik Ausprobieren Stärken Entdecken = try techniques - discover potential)

30% of apprentices and trainees do not finish their training

there are far too few young women entering IT professions and technical professions

half of all school leavers do not know what career would suit them

For these reasons LIFE e.V. created the TASTE programme that enables Year 9 schoolgirls (14 - 15 years old) to discoverpotential skills in unusual and non-traditional vocations in a safe atmosphere, nearly one year before they leave school.The setting of this learning programme is at an assessment centre which usually carries out the recruitment of managerialstaff. The girls practice skills in challenging practical work situations lasting 60-90 minutes, and they are observed andassessed according to defined criteria. After evaluating their work through self assessment and a thorough evaluation bytrained observers, each girl receives intensive feedback. A certificate of achievement is produced for the week-longTASTE project.

This innovative scheme helps to bring self awareness and build confidence for girls who may not believe they have skillsto show they are able in technical areas, and gives them the opportunity to take away evidence of their ability to assistthem in their career choice.

The project has been supported by an advisory committee comprising experts from research and practice in vocationaltraining, occupational psychology, staff development and vocational training within companies as well as staff membersof the Federal Employment Office, School Administration and a Chamber of Trade.

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Case Study Cathy Gördeler, Apprentice Electrician, Daimler Chrysler

Q. From secretarial training and laboratory assistant, two very stereotypical ‘feminine’ careers, to technology. How did this happen?

I went to the careers advisor, which wasn’t any good at first. The man didn’t give me any good advice at all, and headvised me very strongly not to go for a career in industry – he said it wasn’t suitable for women, the physical work ismuch too hard, also working on a building site with all those men… He just gave me some addresses of companieswhere I could apply for secretarial work. I thought, well, great. Especially with my grades…

Luckily I went to another careers advisor with my mother, and she was much better. We really tried to find out about mystrengths and weaknesses. We found out that I’m actually quite good at technical kinds of work, and that I’m interested init. I always repair everything at home. My mother has this habit of throwing away the user manuals for machines andthings, but I always manage to put them together so that they work. Well, I wasn’t sure if this was enough for an actualapprenticeship, so the careers advisor suggested I try a course at Life e.V. My family supported me in this as well.

Q. What did you get out of this ‘trial apprenticeship’ course?

Well, obviously I’ve just got this apprenticeship with Daimler Chrysler. I would never have thought of going for a technicaljob by myself, and they wouldn’t have accepted me anyway because of my bad grades.

At first I thought, oh god, all women again, and it reminded me of the MTA school. But over time we became a reallyclose-knit group, it was really fun and saying goodbye was so hard. I thought it was great that we all did the TASTE thingat the beginning too. When we looked at different companies at the beginning, I immediately liked the atmosphere atDaimler. And I knew that there are promotion possibilities as well.

Let's Just Do It - Step ONE internships for girls is a scheme offered by LIFE e.V. whereby year 9 schoolgirls (14-15 years) undergo careers orientation classes and an internship of 2-3 weeks in a non-traditional enterprise. The scheme brings female apprentices into the school to meet the girls, and then an internship is set up within the same firm to provide a 'female friendly'environment. The trades exhibited include joinery, electrical fitter, car fitter and IT technicians.After the internship the girls take part in Careers Counselling in a group where they can reflect on experiences and plan next steps.

If the girls are successful during the internship, the enterprises, who are already keen to attract more females to technicalvocations, will offer an apprenticeship.

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Finland

Even though girls in Finland are successful in Mathematics and Physics they tend not to choose these subjects as muchas boys do. A course to illustrate and encourage girls to choose technology has been developed at Hauhola school inKajaani. The girls learned electronics and built gadgets, as well as visiting Science Centres and Laboratories. As a result,attitudes of girls and their parents changed in a positive way towards technology as a career.

Case study - Eija, Katja, Annika ja Niina - Kajaani vocational school

How do you think women do in the field of technology?

I think women do just as well as men. The visits we made to different technological companies during the WomenITproject were interesting.

On the other hand we remember from the guidance counselling at comprehensive school that if you do not go to highschool, boys will be directed to car mechanics and girls towards nursing. People do not really talk about how girls couldgo and study in a field that has traditionally been for men - or vice versa. I think there should be more choices as well asinformation about them.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to become an entrepreneur, work in a shop or continue studying. Unfortunately the employment situation in ourarea is so bad that it’s really difficult to find work. Thus, we might have to move to Southern Finland.

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2.3 Language and ImageGender stereotyping of careers as either a male or female occupation is reinforced by images and language thatperpetuate and reinforce the barriers that girls and women face in choosing a non-traditional career. The use of genderneutral language and promoting images of girls and women in technical professions assists in breaking down thisperception. The use of role model speakers and posters that show girls and women working in non-traditional areas is anestablished way to promote a positive image. The examples from our work include something rather different andinnovative.

France

FETE have been working with their partners to review training materials used in GRETA to ensure that all materials aregender sensitive (GRETAs are a network of training centres which are part of the national education system that providecontinuing education for teenagers and adults who are in work or unemployed. There are 250 GRETAs in France, 14 inBurgundy the region where FETE are situated). An artist was commissioned to produce images that show females invarious roles and activities that are traditionally assumed to be male, providing an innovative, attractive and humorousway of illustrating a pertinent issue.

Great Britain

One of the JIVE partner projects called WITBE (Women In The Built Environment) commissioned a professional filmdirector to produce a careers video aimed at girls and women interested in careers in the built environment. Called‘Building for Change’, the Film draws on real women working in the built environment talking about their jobs andexplaining why they enjoy them. The video provides a wide range of role models across many careers from professionalarchitect and building surveyor, through to trades such as painter and decorator and carpenter. The opening shot showsa boat trip down the River Thames in London, pointing out the work done by women on bridges during the Second WorldWar, and leading into an interview with a female civil engineer who was involved in designing the "wobbly bridge" recentlybuilt across the river. The women talk of the way their skills and attributes can be utilised to good advantage and highlightthe drive for change within the construction industry to welcome women. The video has been sent to all secondaryschools in South Yorkshire, and copies are now circulating across England and Wales, with very positive feedbackwherever it is shown.


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2.4 Support and EncouragementFor as long as occupational segregation exists, there will be a requirement to support and encourage those girls andwomen who wish to make that choice. As long as girls and women are under-represented in these non-traditionalvocational areas, there will be a need to ensure they are not isolated. A sufficient network of support can make thedifference between success and failure. There are many examples of girls and women who have made their choice ofcareer, only to be deterred from that choice a little further along. Mentoring is a significant way of providing support at theright time for those who need it, and the partners have a range of mentoring schemes in existence. See ‘Breaking theBarriers: Good Practice in Mentoring : European Guidelines’ for further information.

Germany

“Aktiver Einstieg in den Beruf “ (Getting into working life)

Female higher education graduates in science and technology have greater difficulties finding a job after their academicstudies than their male colleagues. It is not because of a lack of knowledge and technical skills that women do not find ajob but because of missing networks, less developed self marketing and their anticipation of a minority situation in a maledominated work culture. LIFE e.V. together with human resource and careers experts have developed and delivered acourse called “Aktiver Einstieg in den Beruf” (Getting into working life) for female graduates shortly after their graduation:Module 1 of this course is a one week assessment at a development centre providing gender competence to cope withfuture job situations in a male dominated work environment. Module 2 is based on the results of the learning at thedevelopment centre; participants go on working on personal developmental issues previously identified. In subsequentseminars they tackle subjects like how to make a successful application, how to do effective and convincing selfmarketing, and they find out about individual strategies for getting into work including networking. Module 3 covers athree month work placement which is combined with individual coaching and guidance as well as with mutual supportand exchange of experience among the participants.

Evaluation has shown that the assessment centre GENIAL is specially and highly appreciated among the young women.The gender sensitive reflection on personal strengths and weaknesses in relation to requirements of high qualified jobs inthe industries, as well as the opportunity to try out professional behaviour in realistic situations, provides a lot ofempowerment. Empowerment is what you need as a woman entering non-traditional job areas.

Finland

'Sights to the Future' is a career planning group for women only in the Sotkamo region of Finland. The starting point waswomen's increased unemployment rates after the large dairy had been closed down and the electronics industry hadbegun to lay off staff. New jobs in the region were commencing in the biotechnology laboratory of the University of Oulu,and a Snowpolis - centre of expertise, specialising in snow and physical exercise-had brought in new industries withtechnical jobs including IT.

Three career planning courses were organised, with each course consisting of a small group of 5 or 6 women. The groupmet regularly and visited vocational institutes of higher education, universities, companies and scientific researchlaboratories. During visits the women heard from women who work in the technology field, and talked about career choiceand experiences working in male dominated fields of study.

The women appreciated the importance of the project and found the visits very useful. Their motivation towards studyincreased, and they gained the strength and courage to seek new paths. The peer support from the meetings provided apositive role in their everyday lives.

Four of the participants have found a new job, two are studying for a degree and six are in training to developprofessional and study skills. Many plan to continue their study and progress their careers.

In their own group the women were able to safely consider abilities and interests in male dominated fields of work.Sotkamo will now continue to run this type of women's group as part of their vocational guidance and career planningservices.

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Case study - Maarit, webmentor in Kainuu’s OSKU projectHow did you become a part of the activities of the WomenIT-project? I was thinking about my future and the different alternatives to work or study in my own area as well as the alternativeopportunities in another city. I was told at the employment agency about an upcoming career planning group for womencalled “Sights to the Future” that was part of the WomenIT-project. I was happy to be accepted to activities that gave me alot of information and motivated me.

What sort of abilities and experiences have you acquired during the project (and whatwere the best points of the activities)? Getting diverse and authentic information about different opportunities as well as having the chance to visit differentalternatives such as schools, universities and workplaces that use technology were the best points. With the help ofWomenIT, I got a very large amount of information and ability in relation to how to find new channels to look forinformation and how to strive towards a field or a job you are interested in. Participating in the activities gave meconfidence and supported my know-how as well as developing my skills.

What are your plans for the future?I will keep working, within the bounds of possibility, with both people and technology – most likely in education – and Iwill be studying in addition to working.

INTEREST, COURAGE, BOLDNESS TO FIND AND THE WILL TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW ARE RESOURCES!“Learning and ideas will bring you happiness!”


Great Britain

JIVE partners are running the largest mentoring programme for women in Engineering, Construction and Technology,both in terms of the cross section of women and its tiered structure. Mentoring involves schoolgirls, further and highereducation students and women working in engineering, construction and technology at craft, technician and professionallevels. All mentors and mentees receive training, and the programme offers a range of mentoring approaches includingpeer mentoring, networking, coaching and role model mentoring. A number of significant organisations from the sectorhave taken part including Simons Group and Bovis Lend Lease.

Case study - Laurie, Engineering, Design and Innovation Graduate - Sheffield Hallam UniversityMentee & MentorLaurie is a recent graduate of the BSc Hons in Engineering, Design and Innovation. She has been a mentee to Lisa, anEngineer in a local firm, for a year. She has also recently begun mentoring a local school girl who is interested inEngineering.

Laurie and Lisa meet every month or so to update and discuss ideas around career choice and progression, informationsources, job roles/money and interviews. Laurie says "the course I do is cross-discipline and I needed to find directionand set some job-specific goals, as well as find out more about my industry options. I feel I can contact my mentor atany time about career/engineering issues. If she hasn't an instant solution, Lisa can usually offer references andinformation sources."

As a result of the mentoring Laurie says "I've found out what type of job I want, instead of focusing on the industries, andam now looking for jobs requiring those skills and with those aspects in employment. I feel more confident in my ownabilities, skills and career for the future and have learned how to manage my resources and time better, how/what type ofgoals I can work towards and where to look for information and what to expect from jobs I select. As a result I'm muchmore confident about careers. I want to do design development now."


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Chapter 3

ConclusionWe hope that you have found this booklet interesting and thought provoking. We want all girls and women to be able tomake their choice of career based on clear and objective information, and not to be limited by perceptions of stereotypesthat persist to endorse occupational segregation.

The examples chosen represent a small sample of the innovative work carried out by the partners. The work to overcomeoccupational segregation is the responsibility of all.

Careers Guidance is only one factor in the many barriers that girls and women still face in choosing to follow a non-traditional career path, but it is a vital one. The guide has highlighted differences and similarities between partnercountries’ education and guidance systems. These contextual differences should not be under-estimated; howevergender sensitive careers guidance will always challenge stereotypes, promote choice, and provide positive language andimages whilst offering support and encouragement.

The work of the partners to meet our Vision Statement goes on in all of the countries highlighted in this guide.

Please contact the partners of the project for more information and to share your own ideas and practice to challenge thebarriers faced by girls and women across Europe.

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Key Words And Meanings

Gender sensitivity – what are we really talking about?This is a short guide to the meaning of some of the terms used when we discuss occupational segregation

Equal OpportunitiesThere is no single definition of the term "equal opportunities". "Equal opportunities" means the prevention, elimination orregulation of discrimination between persons on grounds of sex or marital status, on racial grounds, or on grounds ofdisability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or of other personal attributes, including beliefs or opinions,such as religious beliefs or political opinions. More broadly, the term relates to fair and equal access to all services,employment, and information for all people, and an equal chance for all to fulfil their potential.

In the context of training, education and career choices, "equal opportunities" can be taken to mean:

Equal provision of services for all people, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation and disability;

Awareness of the difficulties that some groups can face and ensuring that any obstacles to them are removed;

Awareness of personal prejudices and stereotypical views and avoidance of labels related to these;

Recognition of the equal worth of each person.

Gender EqualityGender equality means that the different behaviours, aspirations and needs of women and men are equally valued. Inaddition to this, equality means the equal distribution of labour both in the private sphere of home and family and in thepublic sector which consists of the labour market and political decision making.

SexSex is thought to consist of biological features that are connected to procreation. Sex separates human beings into menand women.

GenderGender refers to masculine/feminine or a gender role that is lived and culturally produced. It is also used to refer to thosesocial differences and relations between men and women that are culturally learned, that change with time and differ bothwithin cultures and between them.

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Sex / Gender RolesThe concept of sex roles refers to expected behaviour. Sex roles are constructed in the institutions and structures ofsociety and they are primarily not characteristics of an individual.

Gender StereotypesGender stereotypes are simplifications or, in other words, stereotyped or old-fashioned beliefs about what men andwomen in general are like. Gender stereotyping emphasises the likeness/similarities of women as well as thelikeness/similarities of men and diminishes the differences between individuals of both genders.

Gender SensitivityGender sensitivity refers to taking into consideration the central meaning of a gender perspective. In practice, it is used torefer to the ability to recognise the dissimilarity and differences of men and women in, for example, ways ofcommunicating and in relation to financial and political power and justice. It means the ability to listen and observe thedissimilarity of men and women in different situations.

Gender Blindness and Gender NeutralityThe opposite of gender sensitivity is gender blindness in which the differences between genders are neither recognisednor acknowledged. In gender neutral actions, the differences between genders are admitted but their meaningfulness isdenied. The norm of both approaches is the male. Gender neutrality is typical, for example, in Scandinavian culture inwhich an illusion about an already realised and complete gender equality prevails.

The Segregation of Labour Markets according to GenderThe segregation of labour markets according to gender means the concentration of men and women into different anddifferent-level tasks and professions. The position of men and women in the working life is universally different. Womenare over-represented on the lower levels of the working life whereas men are, correspondingly, over-represented in theleading positions.

Positive ActionThe term positive action refers to a variety of measures designed to counteract the effects of past discrimination and tohelp eliminate sex stereotyping. Positive action encouragement may include directing recruitment towards areas wherewomen are under represented, publishing advertisements for vacancies which specifically encourage applications fromwomen, or from women and from black and ethnic minority applicants, or providing taster days for women.

Thanks to Marjo Riitta Tervonen, WomenIT & Natalie Sappleton, EOC


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REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

Great Britain

Watts, A. G. (2001) Career Education for Young People; Rationale and Provision in the UK and Other European Countries,in International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, Vol. 1: 209-222.

www.eoc.org.uk The Equal Opportunities Commission is the leading agency working to eliminate sex discrimination in21st Century Britain.

www.shu.ac.uk/schools/sed/witbe Women into the Built Environment is a project aimed at promoting more women intothe built environment, hosted at Sheffield Hallam University, GB.

www.setwomenresource.org.uk the UK Resource Centre for Women in SET is funded by the UK Government to promotebest practice in the recruitment, retention and progression of women in SET and the built environment.

http://letstwist.bradfordcollege.ac.uk a Bradford College UK based initiative that aims to encourage, motivate, inspirewomen and girls to choose engineering, construction or technology as a career.

Finlandwww.womenit.info Women in Industry and Technology, Finland is a development, training and research project co-ordinated by the University of Oulu / Kajaani University Consortium.

Germanywww.life-online.de Life e.V., Germany is an education provider for female students and school leavers, and for adultwomen.

www.fczb.de FCZB is the Women's Computer Centre in Berlin.

Francewww.feminin-technique.com Feminin Technique (FETE) is an association promoting equal chances in training andtechnical jobs for men and women.

Contact DetailsJIVE Partners, GBUK Resource Centre for Women in SET0044 1274 436485www.setwomenresource.org.uk [email protected]

JIVE Partners, GB is a national partnership of organisations, which aims to break down gender segregation in thescience, engineering, construction and technology sectors by developing and piloting new approaches, which tackle thebarriers preventing women from pursuing careers in these sectors. The JIVE (Joint Interventions) Partners are part fundedby the European Social Fund under the EQUAL Community Initiative Programme.

LIFE e.V.Martina KretschmannBarbara Schöler-Macher0049 30 308798 15 www.life-online.de

LIFE e.V., Germany is an education provider for female students and school leavers, and for adult women. LIFE givessupport and encouragement for training and employment in non-traditional job-areas in science, engineering, technologyand skilled crafts through a wide range of activities: taster courses for schoolgirls, vocational guidance to promote non-traditional careers, training in skilled crafts such as electrical installation, use of sustainable energy, courses to improveself marketing, and project management.

WomenIT, FinlandMarja-Leena Haataja00358 8 632 4814 www.womenit.info

WomenIT - Women in Industry and Technology, Finland, is a development, training and research project co-ordinated bythe University of Oulu/Kajaani University Consortium, and funded by EQUAL. The operational remit of WomenIT includesearly childhood education, schools, secondary level colleges, polytechnics, universities, companies and labour marketorganisations. In these organisations over 40 different study clubs, courses, training and research or developmentactivities are offered to help to inspire girls and women to work in the technology industries, and to encourage them toadvance in their careers. The project was launched at the end of 2001 and is to end in Spring 2005.

FETEFrancine GotAnne Thierry00 33 380 43 28 34 www.feminin-technique.com

FETE, Feminin Technique is an association promoting equal chances in training and technical jobs for men and women.FETE organises and supports actions in communication, information, training and studies which aim to improve thediversity of jobs done by women and to promote equality in the workplace. FETE works in partnership with regionalemployers, trade unions and other professional associations that share the same objectives and also seek to supportindividual women who are looking for technical jobs.


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