Year 3 student career choices: Exploring societal changes in constructions of masculinity and femininity in career choice justifications

Gender stereotypes continue to play a significant role in how children imagine their future careers, and in the long term, these stereotypes may limit opportunities for both boys and girls. We know that the perceptions young people have about careers are formed and consolidated at a young age, with some research suggesting stereotypes are evident from the age of seven (Chambers et al., 2018). In both Australia and the United Kingdom, there have been efforts to widen the participation of under-represented groups in higher education and in specific career pathways – one example of this is the extensive range of ‘Women in STEM’ initiatives.  Yet career choices continue to be shaped by gender stereotypes as young people have become more concentrated on fewer occupations.