Gender and skills in a changing economy
This Briefing Paper is one in a five part series which present analysis and commentary on equality and skills in a changing economy. This paper provides a gender perspective on the position and outlook for skills in a changing economy.
Equality Briefing Paper – Gender and Skills in a Changing Economy (PDF, 1.7 Mb)
Published September 2011
Gender is clearly a crucial dimension of equality in the skills field. However, as this paper explores, the picture is not a straightforward one. Women now have higher levels of initial qualification and better access to training than men. But, this has not yet closed the pay gap, and the training situation is heavily influenced by the concentration of women in public sector employment, now under threat. The paper urges us to pay more attention to the way skills are used, rather than just to the volume and flow of qualifications.
This paper is one of a series of five Briefing Papers on equality and skills, which include:
- Disability and skills in a changing economy
- Gender and skills in a changing economy
- Low skills and social disadvantage in a changing economy
- Older people and skills in a changing economy
- Spatial inequality and skills in a changing economy
Other recent research in this area includes:
The Youth Inquiry (UK Commission 2011) explored questions around the unemployment, recruitment and employer perspectives of young people.
In May 2011, Joseph Rowntree Foundation published ‘Poverty and ethnicity: a review of evidence’ and is launching a fuller programme of in this area.
