Gender segregation in training and social mobility of women in West Germany

Abstract

"Despite declining gender differences in educational attainment and a trend towards increasing social fluidity in Germany, men and women differ substantially with regard to typical occupational class destinations. While under-represented in the upper service class and the skilled working class, women are over-represented in non-manual routine class positions. In this article, we examine the influence of social origin and education on gender-specific class distributions, using data from the German Life History Study for cohorts born in 1949-1951, 1954-1956, 1964, and 1971. Our findings from log-linear and logistic regression analysis indicate that men and women benefit to a similar extent from their social origins with regard to educational attainment and class destinations. However, we find that gender segregation in vocational training occupations and fields of study is a crucial factor in explaining the gendered distribution of social class destinations. Due to being channelled into typical 'female' training occupations - like service, social, and health occupations - women are often placed in comparatively unfavourable class positions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Gundert, S. & Mayer, K. (2012): Gender segregation in training and social mobility of women in West Germany. In: European Sociological Review, Vol. 28, No. 1, p. 59-81. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcq048