Equality commission calls for action on career stereotypes

The commission's report, Staying On, also found that almost half of working class girls and young people from ethnic minority backgrounds have a fear of failure that affects their chances at school and work.

The research found a traditional gender split was still apparent in career choices; the top three job choices for girls were teaching, childcare and beauty. It blamed poor career and subject advice for reinforcing class, gender, ethnic and disability stereotypes.

One in five young people had not received one-to-one careers advice and did not know how to achieve their desired career path.

Trevor Phillips, chair of the commission, said: "Why in 2009 do girls still assume that their career lies in hairdressing rather than engineering? Why are young people being pushed down an academic route when they would do better in apprenticeships? We need to ensure that parents, schools, and careers services challenge rather than encourage such presumptions."

Philips said new legislation raising the school leaving age to 18 offered an "extraordinary opportunity" to help young people reach their goals.

The commission wants the government to consider increasing the £30 a week Education Maintenance Allowance and further education colleges to offer vocational courses to young people with no GCSEs. It also wants to work with the National Apprenticeship Service to open up apprenticeships to women, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities.