Overcoming stereotypes on Girls’ Day and Boys’ Day
Daniel Terzenbach, Chair of the Federal Employment Agency, emphasizes: “Young people should be able to choose their careers regardless of gender clichés. It shouldn’t be about role-related stereotypes, but about what task fits a person, their abilities and what they are interested in. Before the backdrop of the increasing shortage of skilled workers, it is becoming increasingly important for girls and boys to have the opportunity to think outside the box as soon as possible so that they can find the right career. Girls’ Day and Boys’ Day is there to help them to do that and to step away from the old-fashioned clichés.”
All too often, career choices remain shaped by gender stereotypes
Notions about gender-specific roles continue to encourage girls and boys to choose “classic” career paths: in the MINT occupations (maths, information technology, natural sciences and technology), just 17 percent of the employees enrolled in the social insurance system are women. In occupations such as nursery school teachers and social workers, women dominate, with men only accounting for around 17 per cent of the staff.
This year, the two days of the campaign have secured celebrity support. Influencers Noel Dederichs and Lisa Küppers have taken a stand against outdated gender clichés on their social media channels.
In their search for the skilled staff of the future, companies and organisations all over Germany will be offering young people insights behind the scenes to help them with their career orientation. With the help of the “Radar”, young people can find out about the events taking place in their local area on the websites www.girls-day.de and www.boys-day.de.
The BA supports the campaign day
The Federal Employment Agency is also participating in Girls’ Day and Boys’ Day. Its equal opportunities officers will be coordinating the activities nationwide: Among other activities, girls will get to programme robots, while boys will gain an insight the occupational field of social work and public administration. On Girls’ Day and Boys’ Day, federal employment agencies, Jobcenters and agencies for youth employment will also inform about apprenticeship roles and careers for graduates at the BA. After all, the BA is seeking new apprentices for the field of IT. To this end, the IT systems department at the BA will be opening its doors and telling girls all about the apprenticeship as a computing specialist.
The background to Girls’ Day and Boys’ Day
Girls’ Day and Boys’ Day takes place each year. In addition to the Federal Employment Agency, it is also supported by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Other organisations that participate in the Girls’ Day and Boys’ Day include the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA), the Federation of German Trade Unions (DGB), the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) and the Association of German Rural Municipalities.
Further information and several online offerings such as Check-U, the search tool of the BA for apprenticeships and higher education, is available at the following website: www.arbeitsagentur.de.
About the influencers: