New technology is changing career choices

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 16

New technology is changing career choices

By

LEE MATTHEWS

New technology has changed many jobs traditionally done by women, so good advice for girls considering careers is more essential than ever. “Changing Jobs, Changing Choices,” a study by the Christchurch branch of the Society for Research on Women, has found school careers teachers and guidance counsellors need training to encourage girls into a wider range of jobs. Girls need to diversify — to consider becoming mechanics and. carpenters and management executives — because job opportunities in their traditional fields of shop and clerical work are being eroded by new technology. Guidance counsellors and careers teachers from Christchurch’s 27 secondary schools were interviewed for the study. Most said they realised the limits traditional subject and job choices put on girls’ careers. Many were trying to break the stereotyped image many girls have of working — a fill-in before marriage. But this change cannot come only from teachers’ encouragement. Teachers were doubtful about how much influence they had on students. They believed families wielded the greatest influence over a girl’s career choice. Girls’ awareness of their options tended to be filtered through family ideas. When families did not want to know about women dentists or boilermakers, girls were not aware they could do these things. “Often it’s too late to get through to the vast majority

of girls, because of pressure from home,” one female careers teacher told S.R.O.W. Peers, and what society expected of women, were also found to be other big influences. Providing role models for girls by having women in “non-traditional” jobs as speakers at schools would be one of the best ways to break down sex stereotyping, the study found. Teachers also recommended that girls should be given as much information on different jobs as possible so they could find out what was available. Consciousness raising and assertiveness training would also help girls realise it was good to think in terms of non-traditional jobs. One male guidance counsellor added a note of warning that girls would find it hard to break into maledominated careers. “They have to be realistic about it. Females will have to want it a lot more than males, and then stick with it; they will get knockbacks,” he warned. A disquietening discovery was that some employers still specify what sex they want an applicant to be when advising schools of jobs, in spite of the Human Rights Commission Act making this illegal. Sixty per cent of the teachers interviewed said they refused to comply with such requests. Another area of concern was that although new technology was directly effecting many “women’s jobs,” girls generally did not have as much access to school computer education as boys.

In 1982, when S.R.O.W. made its surveys for the study, computer access was slanted towards maths students in senior classes, More boys than girls study mathematics in forms six and seven. However, the study said it was evident computerrelated teaching would rapidly change. It recommended that girls have equal opportunities to use computers at school. The study made it clear that while good careers advice would help girls get jobs, it was not the solution to female unemployment. “Preparation for employment does not guarantee the existence of jobs for school leavers.” New technology would eventually radically change work patterns and life styles, as well as the immediate effect it was having on jobs traditionally done by women. It was necessary that teachers prepare students for employment which could be very different from the present 40hour week, 40-year career. The study also found a need for a comprehensive directory about career options, rather than the piecemeal information handouts now available. It suggested a body such as the Department of Labour could produce these books. It advocated careers advisors in schools having access to more training. Compared with guidance counsellors, careers advisers had comparatively little training for their jobs. The study is available from S.R.O.W. at P.O. Box 158, Christchurch. It costs $6.50.