Amongst women: Why are there so few men in caring roles?

In the age of equality, anything men can do, women can do too. It’s a message we rightly sing loud and clear to our daughters and young women, as we encourage them to consider the endless job opportunities open to them, rather than following traditional gendered career paths.

But does the situation apply in reverse? Are we providing a similar, clear message to our sons and young men that they too can be anything they want to be? Caring roles, in particular, continue to be women-dominated; only about one in 10 nursing students are male, for example. If there’s noise being made to encourage more men into these professions, it’s barely audible.

So, what’s it like to be a man in a woman’s world, working in a women-dominated environment? Here, a nurse, SNA, drama teacher, childcare worker and occupational therapist share their experiences.

The nurse

Barry McBrien was always interested in working in a caring profession. A placement in a nursing home during fifth year at school, which he loved, helped him realise that nursing was the career he wanted to pursue.

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When he talked about his career choice back in the late 1980s, “people didn’t react very well,” he says. “I probably would have been embarrassed. I know I didn’t discuss it with my peer group. I only discussed it with my parents.” Men working in nursing at that time would have been seen as “effeminate”, he says.

Nursing would benefit [from having more men]. I don’t think any profession benefits from having a predominant gender group

—  Barry McBrien

Men bring a “different perspective to nursing”, McBrien believes. “Sometimes I think men can be even more caring than a woman can be.”

He admits that working in a women-dominated environment can be challenging at times. “Men don’t tend to hold grudges… The bitchiness type of thing. Talking in small groups. Not allowing men into the group. Talking about female subjects and not involving the man… In the earlier part of my career I found that very difficult.”

Carrying out intimate procedures on women, such as catheterisations, can make him “uncomfortable”, he says. He also feels there can be a power struggle occasionally, due to the gender-heavy nature of the profession. “Because there’s an awful a lot of women in the managerial area within hospitals and hospital groups, they can be a little resistant to men getting into those roles.”

According to the HSE, fewer than 9.3 per cent of nurses working in Ireland in 2019 were male. Of the 1,800 students who begin to study nursing each year, only about 10 per cent are men.

McBrien now works in emergency care at Tallaght Hospital. He is also an assistant professor in nursing at Trinity College, responsible for facilitating the education of nurse prescribers and advance nurse and midwife practitioners, “and inspiring other men to enter the nursing workforce”.

“I would 100 per cent encourage other men to do it,” he says. “Nursing would benefit [from having more men]. I don’t think any profession benefits from having a predominant gender group. Society is 50 per cent men, 50 per cent women. We need that breakdown also in the profession.”

The childcare worker

James Coleman works as a childcare practitioner in Galway. As a teen he helped his mother care for his younger cousin and this, alongside his transition year experience in a primary school, encouraged him to apply for children’s studies at University of Galway. He has been working at Spraoi Early Learning Centre for just over a year.

“People are always a bit taken aback” when he tells them he works in a creche, he says. “It’s most definitely a woman-dominated industry and people almost question you, as to why you’d even consider working with children. Even on my children’s studies college course there was something like four or five boys and maybe 60 or 70 girls. I’m surprised, with all the societal development in recent years, that there still hasn’t been any noticeable change in the number of men working in childcare, or with children in any capacity.”

There aren’t many jobs that give you the job satisfaction and pride that there is in childcare

—  James Coleman

According to the National College of Ireland, just one per cent of early childhood educators in Ireland are male. The average across Europe is 3 per cent.

Coleman says some parents have been surprised to discover he was working as a childcare practitioner in the creche. “They automatically assumed I was working in the kitchen or as maintenance,” he says.

“Many of the children who come to the creche may have no interactions with men in their lives, apart from the men who work in the creche. It is important for children to get both male and female interaction during their development.”

When it comes to encouraging more men into the profession, Coleman says: “There aren’t many jobs that give you the job satisfaction and pride that there is in childcare. Being there when a child says their first words, takes their first steps, writes their first word; they are such important milestones in a child’s life, and you not only get the chance to experience them, but also influence their development. It puts a serious pep in your step on your walk home from work every day.

“It’s probably not the easiest job in the world, as many people would lead you to believe, but it really is up there in terms of job satisfaction. It’s an incredibly important job for both men and women, and one that is seriously underappreciated.”

The drama teacher

Paul Cullen has been running his drama school, Arclight, for children aged 5-18 in Cornelscourt in Dublin since 1986.

Having attended drama classes himself as a child, a random opportunity to take a class of six- to eight-year-olds while his teacher spoke to a parent led him to his “calling”.

I have noticed that a lot more of my male students keep up their drama classes into their teens, and I think it’s because they see a role model

—  Paul Cullen

“Afterwards she told me that I had a rare gift for teaching children, and a natural rapport with them. On the spot I was offered an apprenticeship,” he says.

“When I started out, there were very few male drama teachers in Ireland. It was also considered a part-time career. I felt all the time that I was breaking the mould.

“I get mostly a positive reaction to what I do,” he says, but concedes there are “plenty of ‘rather you than me’ comments. One reaction I often get is ‘what’s your real job?’ It still seems to be looked upon by some as a hobbyist career.

“In recent years, as we have become more progressive as a society, and recognise the importance of the arts to enhance our lives, there has definitely been more appreciation of the value that drama teaching offers.”

Cullen believes that seeing men involved in drama encourages boys to continue with it for longer. “I have noticed that a lot more of my male students keep up their drama classes into their teens, and I think it’s because they see a role model who has been able to continue a career in drama.”

The occupational therapist

Just one in five trainees in occupational medicine are male, according to the HSE. But when Niall Turner decided to become an occupational therapist, he wasn’t aware it was a predominantly women’s profession.

“When I was in primary school, myself and another classmate were asked to help two classmates who had muscular dystrophy. They needed help using the bathroom and getting around. I did this for a few years and continued to help them when we moved to secondary school. They were in wheelchairs at this point. I knew that my help enabled them to continue in school with their friends and have a normal life,” he says.

“When I got to my teens and started to look at career options, I knew I wanted to work in some sort of a caring profession, and ideally something that assisted people with disabilities lead normal lives.”

While on placement, it was suggested to me that I should get my hair cut as it was too long and needed a tidy up. I’m not sure if a female student would have been asked to do this

—  Niall Turner

Turner works as an occupational therapist for Cluain Mhuire, St John of God’s community mental health services

While he says he has never received any negative comments in relation to his career choice because of his gender, Turner did experience different treatment as a student. “While on placement, it was suggested to me that I should get my hair cut as it was too long and needed a tidy up. I’m not sure if a female student would have been asked to do this.”

Turner believes there are huge benefits to having men work in occupational therapy. “Relationship problems, self-esteem issues and views on health can often be gender-specific,” he says.

“Men are often reluctant to talk about their problems... It can be easier for them to do so with a male practitioner. Also, occupational therapists often help men and women to re-engage with meaningful activities, and this can require an element of “doing” with clients. As a male occupational therapist I have assisted people re-engage in many activities including some that would be commonly engaged in by men such as football, wood crafts and DIY. While a female occupational therapist could have also carried out this work, I believe some male clients responded well to doing it with a male occupational therapist.”

The SNA

Marc Hand was a stay-at-home dad for 12 years before becoming a special needs assistant (SNA). His involvement on the parent-teacher association and the board of management at his children’s school, and time spent coaching the local GAA team, meant that when he decided to return to the paid workforce, working with children was a natural road to take.

When you see the smiles on the children’s faces in the morning, you know they are happy to see you, so you know you are doing something right

—  Marc Hand

He has been working as an SNA at Shellybanks Educate Together for 2½ years.

Hand says he’s never had any negative reactions when he tells people what he does for a living. “It is always positive. I subbed last year in numerous schools in Dublin and, without exception, I was warmly welcomed by the staff and parents,” he says.

“I can’t remember how many times other staff members have said to me it’s great to have a male SNA in the school, as it can give balance to the classroom. It is really important that children have positive male role models around them in a school setting. While the number of male SNAs is growing, you can never have enough. I took the plunge relatively late in life and I haven’t regretted it for one second. When you see the smiles on the children’s faces in the morning, you know they are happy to see you, so you know you are doing something right.”