Our thanks to Mike P for this. An extract:
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) suggested the change in unemployment patterns between the sexes was down to a shortage of part-time jobs in retail that tend to offer opportunities to women.
Ian Brinkley, who is the acting chief economist at the CIPD, said: ‘Job growth has been stronger in areas such as manufacturing and construction, which are traditionally male-dominated areas of the economy, than it has in retail, which has previously provided a large number of part-time work opportunities.
‘If the Government wants to reverse this trend, [J4MB: Why would it want to? Because vagina?] they need to ensure that they are promoting flexible working so more women can get into the labour market – but also look at breaking down the barriers [J4MB: What barriers would those be?] to ensure that women can get into work right across the economy.’
