It would again seem that no matter how good the CV, the XY chromosome is still the biggest factor in the workforce make-up.

According to new government figures, for what would appear to be the first time, both men and women fill the same number of jobs in the UK, at around 13.6 million each, compared with 1985 when men filled two million more jobs, and 1978 when the gap was 3.6 million.

However, despite the massive leap by women into the world of employment in the past three decades, almost half of the jobs they take up are part time. Just one in six of men's jobs is part time, according to a new report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The findings have split opinion, with unions claiming they show women still get the "short straw when it comes to equality in employment", while industry leaders insist they reflect a more flexible workplace. The updated Focus on Gender, published yesterday by the ONS, provides an insight into the differences between the sexes in contemporary UK society.

It shows that historical employment rates for men and women have generally been increasing since 1971, but they still remain higher for men than women. In the second quarter of 2008, the employment rate was 79% for men and 70% for women.

The Work and Family summary of the report shows the presence of a dependent child has a substantial impact on employment, with more than two-thirds, or 68%, of working-age women with youngsters in employment in the second quarter of 2008, compared with women without children in employment being at 73% over the same period.

However, on the flip side, men with dependent children are more likely than those without to be in employment. Women are also more likely than men to work part time, particularly if they have children. Some 38% of working mothers are part time, compared with only 4% of men with dependent children.

Mary Senior, assistant secretary of the STUC, said women working part time earned 35% less per hour than men working full time in Scotland, adding that this partly explained why too many women and children were living in poverty.

She added that recent research by the TUC showed women in their 30s were hit hardest by the gender pay gap, "because of the motherhood penalty".

Ms Senior added: "All too many women work in low-paid, part-time jobs in child care, cleaning, clerical and cashiering work. Work that is systematically undervalued. Women forgo promotion, move sideways or downwards, or simply get a job with less hours so they can balance their home life with work.

"This means our economy and society is losing out on their skills and abilities. When significant sections of the population are underemployed, it is a waste of talent and doing nothing for Scotland's productivity."

Eileen Dinning, Unison Scotland's equalities officer, said: "These statistics show that, even in the 21st century, women still draw the short straw when it comes to equality in employment.

"In particular, they show clearly that employers need to increase the level of high-quality childcare and to introduce more radical flexible working arrangements to tackle the clear imbalance between men and women in balancing work and home life with dependant children."

However, Iain Ferguson of CBI Scotland said: "Employers are fully aware of the responsibilities on both parents but the issue really is that no bias is shown towards men or women.

"They simply want people with the right skills and as there is more competition in the labour market employers are being more flexible in terms of contracts to get the best person." The study also shows that in 2006 circulatory diseases were the most common cause of death for men, while cancer was the most common cause for women. In the same year, more men than women were recorded as home owners.

Ros Micklem, Equality and Human Rights Commission Scottish director, said: "Young women's aspirations are giving way to frustration. They are excelling at school, in many cases outperforming boys, and are keen to balance a family with a rewarding career. But workplaces forged in an era of stay at home mums' and breadwinner dads' are putting the break on their careers."

Balancing motherhood and work

BEST of both worlds might be over-egging it but Jackie McGlinchey certainly thinks she strikes the right balance.

For the past eight years, the mother of two has perfected the juggling act between motherhood and a career.

A services adviser at the ScotWest Credit Union in Glasgow's Charing Cross, 34-year-old Jackie manages to get both sons, Robbie and Jamie, to school before heading to work and is home before they arrive back.

Jackie, from Linthouse in Glasgow, said: "Part-time work appeals to me and to be honest I should've done it sooner rather than waiting for my youngest to go to school.

"I had ambitions when I was younger but when I was working full time the kids were still my world and I was paying a fortune in childcare. I usually work 10am to 2pm but it can be 11am to 3pm, and I get to avoid the rush-hour traffic in the mornings and evenings."

However, with the youngest of the boys now 12, Jackie, a single mother, expects her working life to change in the not-too-distant future.

She said: "The plan is that when they are both over 16 I'll be back full time."