Can Gender Traits Explain Job Aspiration Segregation?

Abstract

Occupational segregation is a persistent feature of modern labor markets. This study investigates the role of schooling ability and traits of the opposite sex as source of job segregation among young individuals. We make use of a follow-up of the Swiss PISA 2000 sample, which allows investigating aspirations at age 15 and subsequent career choices. The analysis on aspirations is carried out for both academic and non-academic students. Then we turn to the access to apprenticeship positions to disentangle between supply side and demand side effects. Results suggest that the effect of non-cognitive traits is more important than the one of cognitive abilities. Boys are found to be more likely to aspire female dominated jobs than girls male dominated jobs, holding everything else constant. Finally, we find that job segregation may be essentially driven by supply side effects.

Keywords: job segregation, gender traits, non-cognitive skills, aspirations

JEL Classification: J24, J16