Special efforts should be made in countries where social norms are most conducive to occupational segregation; and gender gaps should be tackled early in students’ lives, when returns to education are highest and before gender-biased social norms may be absorbed. Work-based learning (WBL) and apprenticeship schemes can facilitate the transition from school to work and encourage labour market participation among young women at high risk of becoming inactive. Moreover, apprenticeships can be an effective measure to encourage women who have completed their science, technology and mathematics studies to work in scientific fields (OECD, 2012). Evidence from OECD countries shows that even when women pursue STEM studies, they are less likely than men to subsequently work in physics, mathematics and engineering.