Guest blog: Getting more women into construction

When it comes to construction ‘only 11% of the current workforce is female’ with 9% of these working in office-based roles. This statistic was released in Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham’s and Liverpool CityRegions recent Skills Growth Report . Local training provider Antrec have decided to look into this a little more closely and address how they can improve this situation.

The report announces that a further 18,000 more construction workers are going to be required over the coming years. As a society now is the time that we need to be looking to engage and educate women about the construction sector and how they can find employment within it.

As the industry evolves, and with the help of technology, the role of a worker within the construction industry is changing. The amount of different trades and skills needed within a building site are increasing meaning there is more scope (and need) for a different type of person when builders/tradesman are looking for employees. This means breaking down the barriers of what we perceive the stereotype of a construction worker. As pointed out in the report Liverpool City Region and the country need to begin encouraging our women to become part of an exciting, growing, skilled and diverse workforce.

47,000 people currently work in construction across the Liverpool City Region and such a small percentage of these are women. As demand increases and new projects begin the need for skilled workers no matter what gender will become even greater.

When people think of construction they think of manual labour and a male dominated industry, as technology progresses the need for more skilled personnel has become apparent. The stereotypes of the industry are slowly fading, which hopefully makes it more encouraging for women to apply for jobs within construction.

Local training provider Antrec are tackling the inequality by running a programme to help increase the number of females entering the construction industry and are looking to create a more diverse, accessible workforce across Merseyside within the construction sector. Antrec’s 5-day FEMALE ONLY CSCS Construction Skills training programme provides women with the chance to find employment working on a building site or within the trades industry. CSCS cards provide proof that individuals working on construction sites, or areas were labour is being carried out, have the required Health and Safety training and qualifications for the type of work at hand.

To be part of the solution Antrec are offering a course fully funded to those learners aged 19+, in receipt of benefits or those that have earned less than £15,736 over the past year. Training and testing take place within the 5-day programme so there is no need to book your test elsewhere. Cards are usually ready to be picked up within 10 working days of completion.

We need to begin building awareness around this topic and let women know the immense potential that looking at a career within construction holds.

To read more on the topic or to enquire about Antrec’s upcoming CSCS programme please visit www.antreclimited.com/promoting-diversity-in-construction/ or call them on 0333 023 7450.