ETC publishes manual for gender sensitive vocational guidance

A Manual for Gender Sensitive Vocational Guidance, published by the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC), was launched recently by the Employment Minister Louis Galea at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta.

The manual, co-authored by Anna Borg, ETC senior executive, and Christine Borg with the collaboration of experts in the field, gives an overview of the impact gender can have on development and how gender tends to shape expectations of the person and others throughout life in the family, at school and at work. The publication provides facts about the local labour market that may serve to provoke thought, as well as guidelines of practical use.

The ETC publication is a learning tool currently being used in a series of gender training courses the ETC is holding for guidance teachers, and counsellors in public, private and independent schools. Well over 400 teachers are attending these courses, which are meant to sharpen the gender sensitivity of the service providers when counselling students and apprentices on vocational issues.

ETC CEO John P. Camilleri, author of the manual's foreword, said: "The ETC hopes that this Manual for Gender Sensitive Vocational Guidance will be a useful tool which can be consulted and used time and time again by those who believe in the potential of persons without gender imposition and limitations."

Ms Borg gave a PowerPoint presentation on the publication and courses being held at ETC for guidance teachers and counsellors. ETC chairman Robert Tufigno spoke of the ETC's efforts to promote gender equality and entice more women to the labour market.

Minister Galea said gender issues were still shaping the vocational development of both sexes with the risk of limiting choices and thus development of the individual. According to the latest labour force statistics, almost 34 per cent of the female population of working age were in employment while out of the 11,000 persons working on a part-time basis more than 70 per cent were females, he said.

On the other hand, even males had their particular problem areas. When it comes to education, for example, figures show that a larger percentage of males aged 18-24 are considered early school leavers, having obtained only primary and secondary education.

Dr Galea said that in our education system we must ensure that we do not shape or limit our students into the straightjackets a traditional society imposes on us, but must give all students, regardless of their sex, the right guidance and counselling to ensure we foster their full potential.

Dr Galea said that there are various areas which need attention. Although it is now a known fact that female University students outnumber males, this is definitely not the case in the vocational sector. At MCAST although a positive trend is noted, we still have a female to male ratio of 1:2 and in the apprenticeship schemes we have a ratio of 1:5 respectively.

On the other hand there are no boys in the beauty therapy course. Dr Galea said the education sector also shows signs of gender segregation. There is a larger number of female teachers but a larger proportion of male heads of schools.

Dr Galea said that person who is not given the full range of opportunities available could mean wasted resources. A country like ours can ill-afford to waste its human capital and therefore needs to ensure a gender sensitive, educational and vocational guidance. The minister said that a main challenge being faced in the drafting of the National Action Plan for Employment is how to provide space, opportunities and a support framework for parents of both sexes to be able to continue work while taking care of their children at different ages.

"We need to get to the situation where nobody will need to make a choice between having a family and children and their jobs. We need to entrench flexibility and support in the workplace otherwise we will be throwing away millions of liri spent on educating the workforce." Dr Galea said that these and other points were currently being discussed with the main stakeholders in this field as the first draft of the chapter on gender is being drafted for the National Action Plan on Employment.

Hard copies of this manual are not available for sale but a PDF copy can be downloaded from the publications section of ETC's Website www.etc.org.mt free of charge.