Nursery World - Men wanted to fill the childcare gap

Encouraging more men into childcare could help tackle the shortage of workers in the sector, says the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). In a report, Plugging Britain's skills gap: challenging gender segregation in training and work, published last week, the EOC stressed the need to recruit more men and women alike into non-traditional job areas and highlighted differences in pay. It also said that Modern Apprenticeships should be a key focus for challenging occupational segregation in five areas of skills shortages - childcare, construction, plumbing, engineering and ICT.

In a report, Plugging Britain's skills gap: challenging gender segregation in training and work, published last week, the EOC stressed the need to recruit more men and women alike into non-traditional job areas and highlighted differences in pay. It also said that Modern Apprenticeships should be a key focus for challenging occupational segregation in five areas of skills shortages - childcare, construction, plumbing, engineering and ICT.

EOC chair Julie Mellor said its research had identified 'real barriers of choice for employers and for individuals' and warned, 'Unless we see dramatic action to address them, major skills shortages will continue to blight individual businesses and damage the wider economy.'

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