Gender differences in science, technology, engineering and maths uptake and attainment in post-16 education

Abstract

The underrepresentation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) occupations is a world-wide phenomenon. The UK is simultaneously encountering a shortage of STEM skills. While gender imbalances in STEM study in higher education and A-level study are widely documented, gender imbalances are apparent in vocational post-16 education, though the existence and causes of these imbalances have received little attention. This paper uses administrative data to explore the extent of gender imbalances in STEM qualifications attempted and achieved in vocational post-16 education routes. Gender differentials in the uptake of vocational STEM qualifications are much starker than they are in A-levels and the roles of ability, socio-economic status and school characteristics in explaining gender differentials differ with the education route taken, though their power in explaining these gaps is limited. © 2022 The Authors. The Manchester School published by The University of Manchester and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Vocational education Gender STEM

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations

Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Funding & Acknowledgements

State of New Jersey Department of Education, NJ DOE

Funding text 1: We would like to thank Steve McIntosh and Andy Dickerson alongside other CVER colleagues for helpful comments on the discussion paper versions of this paper. We would also like to thank the anonymous referee of this journal for providing very helpful comments and suggestions. Funding was provided by the Department for Education, through the Centre for Vocational Education Research (CVER) research centre, and is gratefully acknowledged. All interpretations, and any mistakes, are our own.; Funding text 2: We would like to thank Steve McIntosh and Andy Dickerson alongside other CVER colleagues for helpful comments on the discussion paper versions of this paper. We would also like to thank the anonymous referee of this journal for providing very helpful comments and suggestions. Funding was provided by the Department for Education, through the Centre for Vocational Education Research (CVER) research centre, and is gratefully acknowledged. All interpretations, and any mistakes, are our own.

National Centre for Vocational Education Research, NCVER

Funding text 1: We would like to thank Steve McIntosh and Andy Dickerson alongside other CVER colleagues for helpful comments on the discussion paper versions of this paper. We would also like to thank the anonymous referee of this journal for providing very helpful comments and suggestions. Funding was provided by the Department for Education, through the Centre for Vocational Education Research (CVER) research centre, and is gratefully acknowledged. All interpretations, and any mistakes, are our own.; Funding text 2: We would like to thank Steve McIntosh and Andy Dickerson alongside other CVER colleagues for helpful comments on the discussion paper versions of this paper. We would also like to thank the anonymous referee of this journal for providing very helpful comments and suggestions. Funding was provided by the Department for Education, through the Centre for Vocational Education Research (CVER) research centre, and is gratefully acknowledged. All interpretations, and any mistakes, are our own.

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Gender differences in science, technology, engineering and maths uptake and attainment in post-16 education

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