Client: Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
Period: 2024
Education, health and welfare (EHW) are fields of activity with a growing labor demand, where significantly more women than men work. In 2023, the proportion of men in the field of education was 19%, and only 13% in healthcare and social welfare. Estonia is not an exception—in all European countries women predominate in these fields. The study focuses on men’s motivation and obstacles to studying and working in EHW in Estonia, based on previous studies, interviews of the target group and providing an overview of the current situation in the field based on register data. Several factors influence men’s entry into EHW, the main ones being positive role models and early exposure to the field. Quantitative analysis shows that the dropout rate is particularly high in education and welfare fields of study, where it is higher among men than among women.
The wage levels in EHW fields are generally lower than those in other fields, which can affect men’s choice of field, their retention, and job satisfaction. Men who work in EHW fields may experience preferential treatment because they stand out, are valued, and receive more attention.
The results of the study show that the small proportion of men in EHW fields is related to gender stereotypes, which traditionally associate caring for others and care work in the labor market with women. The percentage of men is not uniformly low across the entire EHW field. The proportion of women is higher in professions with a larger component of care work.
Based on the results of the study, we made several policy recommendations to increase the proportion of men in the EHW field. There are no quick and easy measures for this. It is important to create different paths for entering the field, offer flexible educational opportunities, support the acquisition of practical experience during the learning process, and ensure competitive working conditions and salaries.