ABSTRACT
Occupational gender segregation has long been recognised as one of the three main causes of the persistent gender pay gap, as demonstrated by several reviews of women’s pay. Lately both national and regional funding has been made available to address this, with a focus on supporting women to enter male-dominated occupations. This chapter examines some recent initiatives, based on research in the transport and construction sectors. After examining the link between women’s unequal pay and occupational segregation and presenting evidence of the persistence of gender segregation in the two highlighted sectors, the chapter discusses several recent initiatives in London that address the barriers to women in entering male-dominated work. In doing so, it draws on interviews with experts involved in initiatives designed to improve women’s participation in maledominated occupations, as well as interviews with women working in these sectors.
