The construction industry needs more women

Women into Construction is working with The Home Builders Federation (HBF) to launch a nationwide employment programme for women.

The aim is to help address the gender imbalance in the construction workforce, which currently sees just 16 per cent female representation.

The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has teamed with Women into Construction to launch a nationwide employment programme for women, helping to address the gender imbalance in the construction workforce, which currently sees just 16 per cent female representation.

The project hopes to attract women into site management roles by offering a unique funded programme that will provide support with childcare and training costs to make the opportunity more accessible.

The employment programme will include site visits (central locations and online), a week of online insight and development sessions, including questions and answer sessions with site managers and employers, and employability and health and safety training.

There will also be a two-week, on-site work placement, one-to-one coaching and support from Women into Construction.

The work placements will take place at employer sites across England.

They will offer participants first-hand experience of the site manager role and how they could help industry deliver much needed homes.

Women interested in this exciting opportunity are invited to register to attend an online information session at 11am on Tuesday January 31.

Women into Construction’s business development director Jacqui Wordsworth says: “With women representing just four per cent of site managers, we want to inspire and encourage more women to take up a career in home building – helping us and our employer partners to change the face of construction.”

Jenny Herdman, director for the Home Builders Federation (HBF)’s Home Building Skills Partnership, adds: “The home building industry is facing a significant skills shortage. If we are to build the new housing this country desperately needs, it is vital that we attract a broad range of entrants into the industry.

“HBF is delighted to be working with Women into Construction to increase the number of female site managers in the industry and show that there are opportunities for people of all backgrounds and talents to develop a rewarding career in home building.”

Those interested in the programme can sign up and register for the online information session on Tuesday January 31 via the Women into Construction website.