Shifts in societal expectations, government initiatives and charity support have propelled improvements in pay parity and hiring biases. Yet, for many businesses and industries, the number of female faces in the workforce is still sparse. Are age-old stereotypes still getting in the way of your hiring goals?
Knowing how to attract female apprentices in male-dominated sectors requires a sustained commitment to change. We’ve outlined some essential tips to help your business better balance your attraction strategies.
Why attracting female apprentices is an ongoing challenge
Despite progress in gender equality, significant disparities and stereotypes remain in industries like manufacturing, engineering, construction and tech. The issue isn’t necessarily a lack of interest from women. It’s the opposite: complex ingrained biases and a historical lack of female role models within these fields. Significant ongoing challenges when hiring female apprentices include:
- Unconscious biases in recruitment processes
- Failing to create a culture of inclusion
- The scarcity of female role models in male-dominated industries
Many women (and their parents, in the case of younger apprentices) still have outdated perceptions of what they ‘should’ do for work. Their reasoning could point to factors like family expectations, which are harder for employers to crack. However, there are many steps employers can take to ensure they are steering more women into excellent and diverse roles.
A step-by-step guide to attracting female apprentices
Hiring female apprentices doesn’t happen overnight, but these steps can certainly help you get started.
Create inclusive advertising and recruitment campaigns
A great place to start is auditing existing job descriptions and marketing materials to ensure you have used inclusive language relevant to female prospects. Specialised training sessions can help your recruitment, HR and marketing teams spot any exclusionary or biased phrases.
Another strategy is to anchor your advertising and recruitment campaigns on the success stories of your female leadership team to inspire the new generation. Testimonials and video interviews from employees can showcase your company’s commitment to gender equality and provide relatable role models.
Invest in gender parity at the leadership level
Female representation in leadership positions is incredibly valuable for up-and-coming apprentices, new starters and younger employees. It sends a powerful message to potential apprentices that women can thrive and be supported in your company. Plus, female leadership enables other women to hold up a mirror and recognise that they could step up to the plate one day.
Increase visibility through employee success stories
What’s the best way to highlight the achievements of female apprentices to future prospects? Well, show them! We discussed the benefits of testimonials, success stories and video interviews for advertising and recruitment campaigns above.
When sharing this content, make sure it resonates with everyday women by discussing common challenges and experiences of other employees – and how they overcame hurdles to thrive in your company. For example, you could produce social media content highlighting how your company’s flexible working arrangements helped a working mother balance her career and family life.
Offer employer mentorship schemes to local schools
Many young people pursue apprenticeships instead of going to university. Although they embark on this journey when they’re 18, the decision-making process often begins years earlier at school. You can partner with local schools to offer mentorship programs that connect female students with women working in your company. These programs provide valuable guidance and encouragement for young people, helping them build the confidence to pursue a career in a stereotypically or statistically male-dominated field.
Host women-only events
You’ve probably heard of Women in STEM, a well-known movement championing the representation of women in science, tech, engineering and maths. Take inspiration through similar initiatives, such as:
- Workshops: Design interactive workshops that focus on practical skills development. For example, if you’re a tech company, why not run coding workshops over the summer?
- Career fairs: Participate in or host career fairs showcasing the diverse range of apprenticeship opportunities available in your sector.
- Q&A sessions: Invite female apprentices and employees to represent your company and answer questions about their experiences.
- Networking events: Facilitate networking events and company open days that connect female students with female professionals in your industry.
Creating women-only events isn’t about alienating male apprentices; it’s about creating a supportive environment for young women to ask questions and explore why your apprenticeships are right for them.
Provide scholarships for grants
Financial aid is a huge incentive for apprentices and can be an excellent tool to help attract more female talent. You could offer scholarships or grants covering expenses like travel or accommodation to help new prospects overcome barriers to entry. Making apprenticeships accessible to women from diverse or underprivileged backgrounds means you can engage a whole new talent pool who might’ve believed that they ‘can’t’ apply for your programmes due to financial constraints.
Consider flexible working and long-term growth strategies
Hiring female apprentices is just one step in the journey; retaining people requires ongoing investment. Equal pay is the baseline societal and legal expectation, but you can also foster female employees’ long-term growth through incentives like:
- Childcare support
- Flexible working tied with maternity/paternity leave initiatives
- Clearly defined progression opportunities
The goal is to showcase how female apprentices can succeed in your company and aspire towards leadership roles and professional development.
The final tip… Reach the right candidates
There is no secret strategy for breaking down gender barriers in male-dominated sectors like construction and manufacturing. Championing the success of existing female employees at all levels of your company, including leadership, is an excellent way to inspire the next generation of female apprentices.
Ready to share your newest job adverts with thousands of apprentices across the UK? Advertise today on the most-loved apprentice careers hub, Best Apprenticeships.
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