Girls and women remain disadvantaged in the labour market despite outperforming boys in education report finds.

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9th October 2024 13:58 - Education

Girls and women remain disadvantaged in the labour market despite outperforming boys in education report finds:

scales women and men

Despite outperforming boys and men by most available measures in educational attainment and performance, recent research has found that girls and women experience lower employment rates. Women and girls also continue to earn less than their male counterparts, although findings suggest that the gender wage gap is gradually shrinking.

The annual “Education at a Glance” report, released in September, produced by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) focused on equity in education around the world and looked at the effect of educational attainment on labour market outcomes. When considering the correlation between qualifications and performance in the labour market the study shows that women still struggle to translate their academic success into job opportunities and equal pay. 

The research revealed that a higher percentage of young women compared to men are achieving advanced qualifications, with 54% of young women and 41% of young men obtaining further qualifications after secondary school. However, despite this, the employment rate for young women with tertiary qualifications is 84%, while it is 90% for young men who are similarly qualified. Furthermore, when examining young adults aged 25-34 without further or higher education, the disparity in employment rates between women and men is more pronounced, with 47% of women and 72% of men being employed.

In addition to highlighting lower employment rates among women, the report looked at earning potential and discovered that young women with further or higher education qualifications earn 17% less than their male counterparts. Similarly, those without additional post-secondary qualifications earn 15% less than men in similar circumstances. 

There are, however, some countries that have bucked this trend, such as Portugal and Greece where graduate employment rates for women and men are almost equal.

OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said: “While educational attainment and labour market outcomes have improved in many OECD countries, findings from this year’s report show that challenges remain”. And Andreas Schleicher, OECD director for education and skills believes that: "Institutions of higher education have an important role to play in building the aspirations of women to succeed in the labour market, including in traditionally male-dominated industries."



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