Gender Segregation and Vocational Training: Contributions to the Debate on the Current Situation

Abstract

This article presents a sociological study that analyzes the current situation of gender segregation in Vocational Training. This is an educational stage with a marked gender bias that is observed in the fact that, of the 26 existing Professional Families, there are 15 clearly masculinized, while the female students is the majority in five. This circumstance affects to the professional environments to which these studies lead, generating a horizontal segregation in the labor world.

From the analysis of secondary sources of information, it is observed how, in general, the percentage of the female students decreases at all lev- els of VET, although in recent years their rate remains practically the same. From a detailed analysis, with all the precautions that must be taken due to the divergent evolutions experienced by the different Professional Families, in the late years there has been an increase in the enrolment of men in feminized vocational training degrees without the enrolment of women being increased in the masculinized degree. This allows us to speak of little or nule reduction in gender bias in this area.

Subsequently, contributions are made to the debate on the possible explanations of the phenomenon analyzed and the implications that it entails regarding the choice of studies and the inequalities between genders in terms of labour insertion and working conditions of men and women. Women’s. Likewise, possible proposals are suggested to reduce these situations of gender inequality.