At a recent PM Direct at the Mercedes-Benz apprentice training academy in Milton Keynes, David Cameron answered questions on government apprenticeships policy in the round. Unfortunately for Cameron, the apprentices watching were less keen on asking questions than the assembled journalists, who took the opportunity to veer off-message and quiz the prime minister on the state of our flagging economy. But that wasn’t the only problem: all of the apprentices were young men. One or two young women stood at the back, but it wasn’t clear that they were part of the apprentice academy, and young men dominated the first two rows of seating around the prime minister. In light of the government’s apparent concern for gender equality in the workplace, this was an odd image to project.

But, reviewing the weight of evidence feeding into the business, innovation and skills select committee’s upcoming report on Women in the Workplace, it is ever clearer to me that the government has made little effort to improve gender balance in the apprenticeship programme, or in vocational training and entry-level jobs in general. At the other end of the spectrum – gender equality at the top of corporate Britain – the government commissioned the Women on Boards study, and has actively encouraged voluntary change in business ever since. So why no similar strategy and ministerial leadership in their approach to apprenticeships?

Our economy is plagued by gender imbalances across sectors, many of which start in school and are cemented in the labour market. In apprenticeships, for example, male completions outnumber women by as much as 50 to one in sectors like engineering, IT and rail transport – all areas that promise solid careers, progression opportunities and good pay. Women, on the other hand, dominate the beauty therapy, hairdressing and teaching assistant schemes. Attitudes, not aptitude, are behind these imbalances. The government should urgently look at how public money is used in this context, and should consider how it can lever its role as training sponsor to create the most equal outcomes.

With men taking the majority of technical, high-skill vocational training places, it’s no surprise that women still do the majority of low-paid work in our economy. Changing this trend may take time but it’s not impossible; a clear strategy and a set of targets to judge progress would be a good start. Firms like Jaguar Land Rover already target female school-leavers for apprenticeship places, mindful of predicted future shortages of engineers. The government should follow their lead in other sectors where imbalances exist, and monitor the progress of firms closely. Having more women in high productivity sectors would also benefit the UK economy. Over time, this kind of bottom-up approach will begin to improve gender inequality across the whole economy, not just in the boardroom.

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Ann McKechin is MP for Glasgow North and a member of the business, innovation and skills select committee. She tweets @AnnMcKechinMP

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Photo: Chilean Desert Monster