Can role models fire the enthusiasm of young women for IT training occupations?

In light of the skilled worker shortage and the pronounced degree of gender segregation in IT occupations, this article addresses the key question of whether the deployment of occupational role models can help attract more young people and more young women in particular to the occupation of information technology specialist. An innovative and recognition-sensitive vocational orientation approach is presented in the form of the “training ambassadors” scheme. Initial results emerging from a vocational orientation study conducted by BIBB and the Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDa) suggest that occupational role models may reduce gender differences in the way that IT occupations are perceived.