Nursery World - Childcare taught as a job for the boys

Childcare and motor vehicle maintenance swapped places at Northampton College last month when students set out to show that certain careers are not just for girls or boys. Twenty-four college students exchanged uniforms, equipment, classrooms and lecturers for 'Trading Places' day.

Twenty-four college students exchanged uniforms, equipment, classrooms and lecturers for 'Trading Places' day.

Early years lecturer Jo Dudley said, 'At the moment the mechanical engineering course is all male and the childcare course is all female. We wanted to come up with a way to show that careers shouldn't be typecast by gender. Instead of changing nappies and bathing babies, the childcare students learned how to change tyres and wash cars, while the motor vehicle learners were taught different childcaring techniques.'

She added, 'The feedback was really positive. The girls found it really useful, as most of them drive. The boys were a little reluctant at first, but when they got going and realised they were all in the same boat, they became more enthusiastic. They even took the baby dolls to the canteen with them at lunchtime!'

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