Indicators of employment access in metropolitan Melbourne show:
- Women are more likely to have a bachelor degree or higher than men, yet are also more likely to have lower incomes in full time employment.
- More women do more unpaid childcare than men, especially in growth areas.
- Women travel shorter distances to full time employment than men across metropolitan Melbourne.
- While there was gender inequality in employment across all locations in Melbourne, it was most pronounced for women in growth areas.
Tertiary educated women living in growth areas:
- are less likely to be in a job that reflects their level of qualification compared to men, and to women living in inner and middle growth areas.
- more likely to be earning less than $65,000 year in a full time job than men, and than women in inner and middle growth areas.
The research is a good example that highlights data bias and what is rendered invisible when we don’t disaggregate data by gender. The indicators are brought to life in a short film developed by Council which documents local women’s stories on the challenges in accessing employment aligned with their skills and experience. The interviews provide a personal perspective on gender inequity in employment opportunities in growth areas.