More than a third of teenage girls aspire to a career in a traditionally male-dominated field

Almost two-thirds of young women believe their gender will affect their career prospects – but seven in 10 agree their generation will change that

Teenage girls want to ‘break the glass ceiling’, with 37% aspiring to a career in a traditionally male-dominated field.

A survey of 2,000 young women aged 13 to 19 found that a third (33%) of those likely to choose a traditionally male career path would be interested in a career in science, while 31% are very interested in pursuing one Engineering job to explore.

More than eight in ten of them believe they are just as capable as their male counterparts in certain roles – and 28% of those who feel this way think they are actually more capable.

And more than eight in ten (81%) say it’s important that their career makes a “positive contribution” to society.

The study was commissioned by energy and household services company British Gas, which has pledged to create 3,500 apprenticeships over the next ten years – with the goal of half of all new hires being women.

Jessica Rawstron, Smart Energy Engineer at British Gas, said: “My inspiration originally came from my father, who specialized in gas for many years.

“And with the support of my family, friends and colleagues, my confidence has grown since day one of my apprenticeship.

“There are no stereotypes to conform to and we value diversity in our team.”

It found that more than a third (36%) of girls who want to pursue a career in a traditionally male field have been positively influenced by their teachers, while 44% have been inspired by their families.

This is despite the fact that over half (56%) say none of their own female family members work in any of these industries.

Nonetheless, an encouraging 64% believe it is now easier for women to land a role in an industry such as energy, construction or engineering compared to when their mother was the age they are now.

But 62% believe their gender will still have some influence on their future job prospects, with seven in ten saying there are still barriers that make it difficult for women to land a particular role.

More gender equality in the workplace is the top improvement respondents would like for working women in the future (43%).

Equal job opportunities with men (42%), better help with childcare (39%) and better pay (38%) also top the list.

Conducted via OnePoll, the study found that almost three-quarters (73%) of girls are confident that we will see more women in traditionally male-dominated roles in the near future.

And although the average teenage girl believes it will take 15 years to achieve full gender equality in the workplace, 72% agree that their generation will be the ones to bring about this change.

Jessica Rawstron added, “Young women have more opportunities than ever before – both in terms of the roles available to us and the impact we can have on the world around us.

“The need to reduce emissions and achieve Net Zero is critical, and the skills we learn as Smart Energy Engineers can make a real difference. I am proud to do my part to fight climate change.”