This year, the proportion of girls choosing the male-dominated vocational subjects of construction and construction engineering and technology and industrial subjects is a record high. The proportion of girls in construction engineering is 11 per cent, and it is 18 per cent in technology and industrial subjects. The government announced this in a press release. There have never been more girls applying to these programs than this year. At Gauldal upper secondary school, so many girls have applied for vocational courses this year, that they have once again had to build a new girls’ wardrobe. – Now I had to expand the wardrobe park for girls as well. We started with one changing room for girls when I started here four years ago, then there were two, and now we are up to three changing rooms. There are many applicants and that is very good. That’s what Hilde Rudi Bråten, assistant principal at Gauldal upper secondary school, says. Hilde Rudi Bråten is very satisfied with the number of girls coming to the vocational subjects at the school in the autumn. Photo: Jøte Toftaker / news – Security in having girls nearby One of those who has made a slightly unconventional choice is Ronja Fridén. She is studying technology and industry at Gauldal upper secondary school, and will start her second year in August. The reason why Ronja chose a vocational subject is that she grew up with brothers and hung out a lot with them and their friends growing up. – I have enjoyed being involved in various practical things that they have been doing in the evenings at home, she says. She thinks it is good that more girls are willing to try such male-dominated subjects. – There is a little security in having girls nearby as well. Ronja thinks she is learning a bit more, and not just what is standard for a girl, by attending a vocational course. She points out that she will gain more skills which she will use later and which will be developed. Photo: Jøte Toftaker / news The school is not very large and has approximately 300 students. In recent years, almost 50 girls have completed the first year of civil engineering and technology and industrial subjects. Bråten believes that the figures show that girls search for what they actually want, without much influence from others. – I think the girls are very conscious of the choices they make, so if they choose something a little non-traditional, they have a plan ahead. Using girls to inspire girls The school works actively to improve the gender balance in vocational subjects. Among other things, they use girls who do vocational subjects to talk to and be role models for girls who want to start vocational subjects. This means that when Bråten goes out and markets vocational subjects for girls who are about to start upper secondary school, she takes with her girls who either work within or are already studying vocational subjects. – They stand in work clothes. They wear helmets. Maybe they have the hammer hanging in their side pocket. They talk a bit about what it’s like to be in a company, what it’s like to be in vocational training, how they are received and how they thrive. At Gauldal upper secondary school, they use county championships as a teaching method. In the industrial mechanics subject, this year they received a gold medal in the NM. It was a girl in a class of six who won. Photo: Jøte Toftaker / news In addition, they ensure that girls who attend vocational subjects at the same school know each other. Previously, they combined all the grades, but now there are so many girls that they divide them into first and second graders. – Then they meet, and they get to know each other and talk a bit about what it’s like to be a girl. – Leaning forward in the work The Directorate for Children, Youth and Families (Bufdir) boasts of the school’s work for gender balance. – We think Gauldal upper secondary school has been very forward-leaning in its efforts to recruit and, not least, retain girls in vocational subjects as well, says Anna Bjørshol. She is a department director in Bufdir. They think it is important that everyone can freely choose their education without thinking about what is suitable for girls or not. In the long term, she believes that it will be able to contribute to a less gender-divided working life in Norway, which she says we have today. Bufdir hopes that the way Gauldal upper secondary school has worked can be an inspiration for various schools around the country. – These are relatively simple measures, but which have a great effect – we believe, says Bjørshol.
ttn-69
Gauldal upper secondary school built a new girls’ wardrobe after a record number of girls apply for male-dominated vocational subjects – news Trøndelag
