In an article last year, a colleague and I pondered the ongoing shortage of male nurses and how this is contributing to the talent shortage in health systems around the world. Nursing is an example of a profession that, while growing in terms of opportunities available, is one that is not traditionally practiced by men.
Part of this is due to discrimination. Indeed, research has shown that men receive about 40% fewer requests for interviews when applying for jobs in female-dominated sectors. Part of it may also be due to unattractive terms and conditions.
Poor pay
A recent study conducted by Warwick Business School reveals that approximately one-third of primary schools lack a single male classroom teacher. Notably, the number of both primary and secondary schools without any male teachers experienced an increase in the past year, while the proportion of male secondary school teachers has reached an all-time low.
Worryingly, the decline in the number of male classroom teaches is getting worse,” the authors explain. “This has an impact on the education that children receive.”
This concerning trend carries potential implications for educational achievement, as the study highlights that schools categorized as being in “special measures” are less likely to have male classroom teachers.
“There is a large body of research that shows students benefit from being educated by a teacher with certain similarities to them,” the authors continue. “Boys from less affluent backgrounds are already the lowest achievers in school. They are the students who would benefit most from a male teacher, but they are less and less likely to have one.”
Moreover, it poses a challenge to the government’s aim of meeting recruitment targets in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), particularly subjects such as physics and mathematics, which heavily rely on the expertise of male teachers.
Varied solutions
The researchers emphasize that various measures can be implemented to address this issue. They suggest that enhancing teachers’ remuneration, which has witnessed a 13 percent decline in real terms since 2010, along with reducing working hours and enhancing school leadership, could potentially augment recruitment efforts and improve retention rates.
By undertaking these steps, the education sector can strive towards a more balanced and diverse teaching workforce, ultimately benefiting students and the broader society.
Of course, necessity often prompts change. Research a few years ago from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte suggests that in times of unemployment, a growing number of men are thinking of crossing the divide.
“What our study suggests is that unemployment may act as a shock that encourages men to consider job alternatives that they might not otherwise consider while employed,” the researchers say. “When men are facing potentially missed housing, car payments, or the lack of an income stream, that’s really meaningful.”
A needed change
This is important, as labor market statistics highlight the shrinkage in traditionally male-dominated work sectors, resulting in higher instability in the career prospects of men across the country.
Indeed, labor force participation rates have been on the decline for men in a wide range of fields. What’s more, these traditionally female jobs are predicted to have the highest job and wage growth in the coming years. There has been a traditional reluctance among many men to enter what are perceived to be female-dominated jobs. This is often because the pay is less.
“Men are more likely to consider finances when deciding to go into, or leave, a profession,” the Warwick researchers explain. “This explains why the persistent decline in teacher’s pay has affected male teacher numbers more than their female counterparts.”
The glass escalator
Obviously, even relatively low-paid work is better than being unemployed, but there is also a clearly documented phenomenon, called the “glass escalator”, whereby men entering traditionally female-dominated professions ascend the ranks faster than women do.
Data indicates that this phenomenon is particularly common among white men, who tend to secure higher wages and experience faster career advancements compared to their female counterparts.
In contrast, the situation is typically not reciprocated when women transition into traditionally male-dominated jobs. In fact, it is more common for women in such circumstances to encounter lower wages and face additional barriers to promotion.
There are numerous benefits involved in getting more men into teaching, and while pay is one factor involved in doing so, it’s equally clear that if education institutions are to be effective in recruiting a more diverse workforce, their efforts will need to be multi-variant in nature.
