Infrastructure clients throw weight behind Women into Construction

Clients and politicians urged construction firms across the board to support Women into Construction which is facing withdrawal of key funding from the CITB at the end of the year.

A director of the not-for-profit organisation, Judy Lowe, said that since it was first set up, Women into Construction (WIC) has brokered 600 women into sustainable paid employment. 

“And it has ensured that a majority stay employed by providing support and mentoring to them in placements and in work. Over and above this, it has given relevant career advice to more than 1,700 women, construction-related training to 1,200, and placed 300 in work-placements.”

Speaking at a reception at the House of Lords, Lowe said Women into Construction was needed more than ever if the industry was to tackle the skills crisis.

“Just 1.3% of those in manual trades in the construction industry are women. In some areas, (roofing, glazing, bricklaying) an ONS report concluded that the number of female operatives is so low as to be unmeasurable. Even if you include architects, surveyors, draughtsmen and other professionals, the percentage only climbs to 11%.

"Yet one in five men in the industry is at or near retirement age. And the Construction Industry Training Board estimates that we are going to need 230,000 new employees over the next five years," she said.

Women into Construction provides training to women who want to join the industry and  persuade companies to take them on for placements and in many cases full time employment.  

Catherine West, shadow minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, said: “Over the years we have seen ‘gendered occupations’ begin to break down, yet construction remains a sector in which women still make up a very small proportion of the workforce- by some standards, the lowest in Europe. 

“What Women into Construction are doing to encourage and support women into construction jobs will achieve much more than just making the work force more representative. Diversity in the workplace, brings different experiences and different skills to the site, and I am in no doubt that it will enhance the effectiveness of an industry that is so critical to London’s economy.” 

Further support came from clients, who are fully behind the diversity agenda and have partnered with Women into Construction.

Crossrail chairman Sir Terry Morgan said: “Crossrail is doing everything it can to make construction an exciting and attractive career option for women. Thanks to partnerships with organisations like Women into Construction, Crossrail has been able to give opportunities to hundreds of women who would not have considered construction as a career. The benefits of a diverse workforce are clear, but the construction industry must continue do much more to grow its talent pool and create a workforce capable of delivering the huge pipeline of projects planned.”

Thames Tideway Tunnel head of human resources Julie Thornton said: “Construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel will create more than 4,000 direct jobs and, in an industry already suffering huge skills shortages, it’s imperative we continue to encouraging women into engineering and construction. 

“At Tideway, we are working towards achieving gender parity in our project team and have also set our main works contractors some challenging employment targets.  

“We know reaching these goals will be no mean feat and we cannot achieve them without the support of organisations like Women into Construction, that help raise the profile of women in construction and infrastructure, and assist the supply chain to achieve their targets. We are delighted to continue supporting Women into Construction towards their aspiration to change the face of construction.”

Lowe said:" The CITB has been a fabtastic supporter since WiC set up for the construction of the Olympics but they are stopping our core funding from the end of the year. We're keen to hear from anyone who would like to become a member - which brings a host of benefits."

If you would like to support Women Into Construction contact:

Kath Moore, Managing Director, Women into Construction
Kath.moore@women.intoconstruction.org 
07918 740888