New research has revealed that just a third of managers and workers in senior positions are women.
That is according to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, which has also revealed that there is a big discrepancy between the numbers of occupational areas that women work in, compared to their male counterparts.
The Women and Work Sector Pathways initiative has revealed that two-thirds of women work over 12 occupational areas, while two-thirds of men work across 26 different areas.
A further £5 million is set to be given to the initiative and Chris Humphries, chief executive of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, explained why the funding was so vital.
Mr Humphries said: "Removing barriers to employment and progression is always important, and the Women and Work Sector Pathways initiative is designed to do just this."
He said that the initiative would be used to help more women in the workplace and would encourage them to enter sectors traditionally occupied by men.
The Equality for Human Rights Commission recently called for equal pay reform.
