Twenty-four college students exchanged uniforms, equipment, classrooms and lecturers for 'Trading Places' day.
Early years lecturer Jo Dudley said, 'At the moment the mechanical engineering course is all male and the childcare course is all female. We wanted to come up with a way to show that careers shouldn't be typecast by gender. Instead of changing nappies and bathing babies, the childcare students learned how to change tyres and wash cars, while the motor vehicle learners were taught different childcaring techniques.'
She added, 'The feedback was really positive. The girls found it really useful, as most of them drive. The boys were a little reluctant at first, but when they got going and realised they were all in the same boat, they became more enthusiastic. They even took the baby dolls to the canteen with them at lunchtime!'
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here