As more and more women become electricians, plumbers and joiners, the question remains whether the term ‘tradesman’ should be scrapped in favour of something more gender inclusive?
Rated People has released a survey of 3,000 residents, tradespeople, and school leavers, revealing that 80 per cent still use the term, even when referring to all genders within the industry, HR News reported.
However, nearly half (42 per cent) of 16 to 18-year-olds would be more inclined to consider a career in this field if gender-neutral language was used.
Chief executive officer of Rated People Adrienne Minster said: “More needs to be done to ensure young people see this as a welcoming environment where they can flourish – where everybody, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or sexuality, can thrive.”
She noted that one of the most effective ways to get rid of stereotypes is with more inclusive language, adding Rated People’s campaign will “start to drive a positive change in the industry”.
According to the findings, 73 per cent of 16 to 18-year-olds heard ‘tradesmen’ as a collective term for both men and women when given career advice, and only 42 per cent of girls leaving school were told to consider a trade career, in comparison with 65 per cent of boys the same age.
September 16th 2022 marked the first National Tradesperson Day, having been renamed from National Tradesmen Day, to widen its inclusivity. The trend began in the US, but Rated People “like[d] what it stands for, so we’re bringing it to the UK”.
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