A TEESSIDE college is aiming to help a group of female students make their mark in an industry typically dominated by men.
Three female students have taken their first steps into a career in the construction industry with Redcar & Cleveland College.
Sarah Roth, Nicola Ward and Alexandra Forma have all been impressing so far this year on their course, with Nicola and Alexandra also going on to secure apprenticeships.
Sarah, who has previously worked in admin roles both with the NHS and in the gas & oil industry, took the big step this year to retrain in a new industry, with aims to launch her own property management company once she has completed her two year course.
Sarah said: “This was a huge change for me but I am really enjoying my time on the course.
“Property management and restoration is a dream career move for me, but I knew that I needed to get some skills behind me to make the change.
“My husband is a joiner and together we have just completed our first house renovation. The skills I have learnt on the course were already a huge benefit to this project.
“You get thrown straight into the work and I can’t believe how much I have learnt since I started. We all feel completely equal to the boys and get along really well, we’ve just blended in.”
According to a survey by UCATT, the UK’s trade union for construction workers, women make up only 11 per cent of the construction workforce and just one per cent of workers on site. But with current trends changing, women are expected to make up a quarter of the UK’s construction workforce by 2020.
Construction lecturer, Tony Bage added: “Both the College, and indeed the industry, are desperate to encourage more females to consider construction and engineering as career options.
“Sarah, Nicola, and Alexandra have shown a real passion for the course and are determined to excel in the industry. They have fitted in really well and are showing a real aptitude for both the theoretical and practical work, which is great to see.”
For more information on courses in construction trades with Redcar & Cleveland College, please contact us on 01642 473 132 or visit www.cleveland.ac.uk.