Despite the downturn taking a heavier toll on men than on women, Indicia Training has reported a 54% increase in the number of women turning to business skills training since this time last year.
Since the start of the downturn, the number of men in work has fallen by 3%, while the number of women has dropped by just 0.8%.
Indicia Training's general manager and HR director, Howard Teale, believes female business owners are especially keen not to be seen as victims. He said: "More than 80% of job losses in America and Europe have fallen on men, with some bloggers nicknaming this the "he-recession".
"Women are demonstrating a stronger commitment to training for both personal and professional security. With a higher number of women in the workplace than previous recessions, more women are on their own or have become the breadwinners of the family and the burden to bring income into the home lies with them."
And the pay gap between men and women has fallen in the past year, albeit by just 1%, as full-time women workers' pay rose by 3.4%
But there still remains a 16.4% gap between men and women's pay.
With women accounting for only 9% of directors in the UK's top 100 companies, 23% of civil service top management and 20% of MPs, Teale believes this recession could provide the ideal opportunity for female workers to break through the glass ceiling.
He said: "With more women turning to training than their male counterparts, it would suggest that when the upturn comes, it will be females that will be in the best position to capitalise on the opportunities. This could be the break that women need to finally shatter the glass ceiling."
More women than men are taking the chance to improve their business skills
Female employees are taking advantage of the recession as an opportunity to upskill and break through the glass ceiling, new research reveals.
