Wide-ranging action to tackle the culture in schools and workplaces that create job segregation and leave woman lagging behind men in the pay stakes is proposed in a report published today. Innovative schemes to give girls a better understanding of the pay and prospects in the careers they choose, to boost the quality of part-time work and to provide skills training for women returners are among the recommendations.

The report "Shaping a Fairer Future" from the Women and Work Commission sets out 40 practical recommendations to tackle job segregation and the gender pay gap which still exists despite 30 years of Equal Pay legislation.

Proposals include setting up a national World of Work programme to improve vocational training, provide work taster days for primary school pupils and use work experience to encourage girls to think about non-traditional jobs as well as promote apprenticeships for women especially in sectors with skill shortages.

During the past 18 months the Commission has examined the facts about the gender pay gap, spoken to women about the challenges confronting them and met individuals and organisations making a difference. The Commissioners found compelling evidence that the pay gap and under-use of women's skills is bad for women and bad for Britain.

Increasing women's employment and ending the gender segregation that blights the jobs market in which women are concentrated in the five "c"s - the caring, cashier, clerical, cleaning and catering sectors - would benefit the economy by as much as £23 billion, worth 2 per cent of GDP.

Commission chair Margaret Prosser said: "Many women are working day-in, day-out far below their abilities and this waste of talent is an outrage at a time when the UK is facing increasing competition in the global market place and an outrage for those women personally.

"This Commission has brought together individuals from a wide range of experience and interest. We are all agreed that action is needed now to tackle the gender pay gap which leaves women working full time earning just 87p for every pound earned by men.

"We all recognise that the gender pay gap is complex and multi-faceted. There is no one solution - no magic bullet. We need action that starts from the early days in school and continues through all stages of a woman's working life to tackle the cultures that put women at a disadvantage."

The Commissioners call on the Government to:

* fund a £20 million package to enable women to change direction and raise skill levels, including offering free skills coaching and training programmes focused on women returners

* introduce an initiative to promote quality part-time work

* promote a localised approach to matching jobs and skills using community centres, schools and children's centres to recruit local women, to be piloted in five areas across the country

* provide support for the development and training of equality reps.

A range of exemplar companies have been recruited to develop and deliver programmes to promote quality part-time jobs, progress women employees, as well as attract women to non-traditional occupations and school subjects less favoured by girls.

Baroness Prosser said: "We are at a crossroads - 1.3 million new jobs will be created over the next decade and 12 million vacancies will open up. If we do not make the fundamental change necessary to our school and workplace cultures those new jobs and opportunities will be filled in the same old way and women will continue to lose out."

ABOUT THE WOMEN & WORK COMMISSION

The Women and Work Commission was set up by the Prime Minister in 2004. It was charged with carrying out an independent review of the gender pay gap and other issues affecting women's employment.

The Commissioners are:
Chair: Baroness Margaret Prosser of Battersea

Members:
Sarah Anderson (Chief Executive, the Mayday Group),
Chris Banks (Chair of National Learning and Skills Council),
Kay Carberry (Assistant General Secretary, TUC),
Naaz Coker (Chair, Refugee Council and Chair, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust),
Debbie Coulter (Deputy General Secretary, GMB),
John Cridland (Deputy Director-General, Confederation of British Industry),
John Hannett (General Secretary, USDAW),
Sally Hopson (Retail and Managing Director (North Division), Asda),
Adeeba Malik (Deputy Chief Executive of Quest for Economic Development),
Stella Manzie (Chief Executive, Coventry City Council),
Christine Ray (HR Director, The Rank Group),
Ruth Silver (Principal, Lewisham College),
Liz Snape (Head of Policy Development, Unison)
Jenny Watson (Chair, EOC).