Exploring male early childhood studies students’ perceptions of working with young children in terms of a viable career choice

This article will be of interest to those who recruit students to Early Childhood Studies (ECS) degree programmes, those working with these students and those employed in the early years workforce. The research is prompted by the current discourse surrounding gender inequalities in the early years workforce (Rentzou, 2011; Thornton and Bricheno, 2006) and in particular, the limited number of male practitioners; for example globally it is suggested that under 3% of staff working in full time education and care of young children are men (Brody, 2014). This research will examine male perceptions of working with young children in terms of a viable career choice. The research will examine participant views on whether it matters that their gender is underrepresented in the early years workforce, not just in terms of a positive impact on children, but also on how it means the workforce is perceived. It will explore whether their responses reveal a common discourse that trivialises working with young children and sees it as a low status activity. It will demonstrate whether these young men articulate a ‘gender blind’ perspective (Hogan, 2012), or whether they consider that a certain kind of masculinity is required for this role. In practice this could mean that to attract male students to ECS programmes requires a ‘gender blind’ discourse or one that mirrors the type of masculinity they identify with. It is acknowledged however that responses may be a carefully constructed masculine script instead of an honest reflection of their true thinking (Wetherall and Edley, 1999).

Approximately 20 male ECS students studying at a university in the South of England will be invited to participate in a number of group or individual interviews which will be audio-recorded and transcribed for the process of thematic analysis. Participants will be asked a range of questions associated with their rationale for choosing to study this degree programme, their perceptions of working with young children in terms of a viable career choice and whether it matters that their gender is underrepresented in the early years workforce. Research will be conducted in compliance with the BERA (2011) guidelines and university ethical procedures.