A pioneering partnership has been launched between a County Durham college and an international industry body to promote construction careers to women.
Bishop Auckland College is the first further education institution in the country to become a member of The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).
NAWIC was launched in Texas in 1955 to provide a support network to women working in the construction industry and has since grown to become a global organisation with more than 6,000 members.
Its UK National Chair Siobhan McMahon, a Durham based chartered architect, developed the idea to join forces with the college following discussions with Construction Learning Area Manager Jason Howe at an industry conference last summer.
Jason explained: “Colleges up and down the country are struggling to recruit female students for construction courses, despite the huge career opportunities there are in the industry. More and more women are working in administration and the professional side as well as on site, with roles as diverse as project managers, clerk of works and plasterers.
“There are a variety of reasons for this reluctance to enrol, including women thinking construction is a male only environment, schools not properly promoting the industry, and women not being aware of the opportunities available to them and the career paths they can take.
“Yet we have a 100 per cent success rate for female construction students; every single one has successfully completed their course and go on to progress into industry.”
NAWIC will support the college at internal and external events via its extensive industry connections, such as putting forward female guest speakers to inspire students and taking part in promotional films to help market construction courses and apprenticeship opportunities to women.
Female students will also automatically be given membership of NAWIC on completing their first year on construction courses at the college as part of the partnership.
Siobhan McMahon, Director of Emerald Architects Ltd, has more than 20 years’ construction industry experience and is confident the new partnership will help increase the number of female students to construction courses.
She said: “Construction is a growing industry and women make a major contribution to it – but there are just not enough of us. There are so many opportunities now and women are enjoying really good, successful careers. We just need to raise awareness, and this new partnership between NAWIC and Bishop Auckland College aims to achieve that.”
Bishop Auckland College runs Level 1, 2 and 3 courses in Bricklaying, Carpentry & Joinery, Construction, Painting & Decorating and Plastering and from September is also offering HE level HNC/HND courses in Construction & the Built Environment. For more information visit bacoll.ac.uk or email start@bacoll.ac.uk or call 0800 092 6506.
