Female Students from Low-Income Families Aspire for Professional Careers: UNICEF Report

A recent survey by UNICEF YuWaah and iDreamCareer highlights the career aspirations of female students from low-income families, showing a strong preference for professional careers over vocational ones. Out of 4,968 respondents, a significant 2,999 students expressed interest in professional careers, while 704 were inclined towards vocational paths.

UNICEF's data was collected from students between grades 9-12 from 25 Indian states.

Key Findings

• Professional vs. Vocational Careers: The survey reveals that over 69% of female students prefer professional careers. In comparison, a smaller percentage, though still significant, opt for vocational careers. Specifically, 62.42% of female students (1,872) showed interest in professional careers, whereas 56.25% of those interested in vocational careers were female.
• Gender Distribution: While female students lean towards professional careers such as medical science and teaching, their male counterparts show a preference for engineering and technology. Interestingly, government and defence services emerged as the top career choice for both genders.
• Top Vocational Choices: Female students aspiring for vocational careers predominantly chose Beauty and Wellness, Defence, Security and Government Services, and Sports and Fitness. Male students also preferred Defence, Security and Government Services, followed by Sports and Fitness and Business Operations and Entrepreneurship.

Access to Career Information

The report also highlights a disparity in career awareness levels, with boys having better access to career-related information as they progress in their education. This gap underscores the need for improved career guidance for female students.

Influencers in Career Decisions

Family members (30%), school teachers (13%), and friends (4%) are identified as the top influencers in career decision-making for both genders. External or school counsellors influenced another 4% of respondents. Notably, 49% of respondents did not identify any influencers.

Career Guidance Services

Only 9.36% of respondents (465 out of 4,968) had received career guidance services before the study and were aware of the availability of such services.

Sample Demographics

The data was collected from students in grades 9–12 across 25 Indian states over five months (August 2023 — December 2023). The survey included 3,022 female respondents (61.05%) and 1,946 male respondents (39.17%). The participants, predominantly Hindi-speaking, come from families with annual incomes ranging from Rs 1.4–3.4 lakh.

Grade Distribution:

• Grade 12: 1,740 students (520 male, 1,200 female)
• Grade 11: 1,196 students (497 male, 669 female)
• Grade 10: 1,227 students (520 male, 707 female)
• Grade 9: 805 students (389 male, 416 female)

The findings of this survey underscore the aspirations of female students from low-income families to pursue professional careers and highlight the need for better access to career guidance and information.