GENDER inequality begins at a shockingly early age, with girls expecting to earn less than boys when they start work.
Research among over 3,000 teenagers found that girls believed they would earn £7,000 a year less than boys in their future careers.
The report, by qualifications group City & Guilds, also revealed there was little understanding of how to secure a dream job.
A lack of access to careers advice was evident in the research with almost a third of participants hearing about their career from the media and only 14% from a careers adviser.
Teenagers had a low awareness of the range of jobs they could chose, while two thirds were planning to go to university.
Kirstie Donnelly, managing director of City & Guilds, said: “While university is a great path for many people, it’s not the only one.
“It’s time we told our young people the truth about the best way to get into work and broadened their horizons so they understand the full range of jobs available.”
The proportion of women high earners has also not changed over the past four years.
Women accounted for just over a quarter of higher rate taxpayers in each of the last four financial years, according to a new study.
Although steps have been made to bridge the gender pay gap, these findings show that we still have a long way to go.
