The lack of men in Early Years

What if I told you that men in Early Years are as rare as unicorns? That’s right! Various studies show some barriers influence males’ attitudes towards education as a profession, particularly within the Early Years. According to the latest research from The Fatherhood Institute, less than 2% of staff working in the early years in the UK are men. 

Why is this happening? Are men opting out of teaching careers because of financial reasons? Does the public have the wrong set of ideas about gender roles in society? Or maybe recruiters are not doing enough to attract male candidates, thinking childcare is not a job for the chaps?

Do not leave that chair.... keep on reading! I would love to share my story with you, which will hopefully help you understand how to attract more male staff as managers and recruiters. 

Why aren’t men applying for your vacancies?

I started my career in childcare at the age of 19. I never studied education before, and I had never planned to become a teacher throughout my teenage years. You might be wondering: “Then why did you apply for a job in a nursery?” 

A friend of mine encouraged me to apply for a job at the nursery he worked at as a toddler room leader (a job that I ended up falling in love with, of course!). I was worried about what the employer would think about me being a male. I also felt insecure about the role due to my lack of experience looking after children. 

Here are some of the emotional obstacles I encountered during my job application:

• Social rejection – I knew I would be working in a predominantly female environment. I was concerned about being the only male worker in my classroom. I was afraid I wouldn’t make friends at work and that I wouldn’t blend in with the team.
• Gender stereotyping – Education was an even more feminised profession 10 years ago, and I was petrified of the idea of having to prove myself to parents and colleagues as a male. I did not have any experience with early years, which made me “compliant” with the typical prejudices that we all already know about men in childcare.
• Lack of knowledge about the actual job – Even though I knew I would be teaching children their letters and numbers (that’s how little I knew about childcare!), a job description couldn’t give me a full picture of what I was getting into. I was afraid I wouldn’t enjoy the job, I wouldn’t be good at it, and I would be out of my comfort zone. 

Thankfully, my friend was great at persuading me to go for the job. Still, not everybody is lucky to have such a positive influence. Thousands of males hit an emotional hurdle when considering a career in childcare and education. As leaders and recruiters, we must ensure these chaps get the proper support during their application process.

How can you attract more males to your setting?

You might be thinking: “What’s our take-home message from your story?”

Well, I am glad you asked! Although there are many more factors that influence a male’s decision to get into a teaching career, here is my bit of advice based on my personal experience:

• Showcase positive stories of your male staff – Be very active on social media, newsletters, and blog posts. Do not be afraid of posting informal pictures of your staff having fun together. Suppose you are planning team building activities out of working hours. In that case, that’s your best opportunity to demonstrate to prospective male staff how well your gender-diverse team gets on!
• Publish testimonials about your male staff – You can gather reviews and testimonials from the parents of your male practitioners’ key children. Not only would this show male applicants that your clientele is male inclusive, but it will help tackle stereotyping among other parents too. 
• Participate in jobs fair – Jobs fairs are a significant opportunity to tell students and future graduates about the childcare and education industry. You will be there to answer any questions they might have and raise awareness of this super rewarding career!

These are just some of the positive things I would have loved to see when I joined the childcare industry. By carrying out these bite-sized tasks, you can significantly increase your chances of having more males applying for your vacancies.

If you are interested in more tips and advice on attracting male candidates, stick around for our next blog from Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs. You can also sign up to our newsletter and follow us on social media (Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn).

We would love to thank Early Years Leadership for allowing us to post this article for outstanding leaders like you.