UK
Ireland
Scotland
London
Construction News
08/03/2022
Wates Group To Bring 125 Women Into The Construction Sector
Wates Group has announced a new programme to bring 125 women into the construction industry by 2025, accelerating ambitions to improve gender balance within the sector.
The company announced the programme to mark International Women's Day. It will work in partnership with Women into Construction (WiC) to provide training and employment opportunities for women at all stages of their career.
With less than 15% of the UK construction workforce represented by women – a figure that reduces to 1% for trade roles Wates and WiC will deliver four employment schemes over a two-year period, each targeting a different area of the business. As well as supporting women into a variety of site-based roles, from project manager to surveyor, it will engage with managers and employees from across the Group to ensure an inclusive environment for all, including female colleagues.
The programme, which will welcome its first cohort in July this year, aims to:
• Raise awareness providing information and advice to encourage women to consider careers in construction and the built environment.
• Open opportunities – offering tailored training to provide women with the right skills to access job opportunities in construction, as well as work experience to challenge perceptions of careers within the industry.
• Widen industry talent pools increasing the number of women applying for and working in construction, including apprenticeships, on-site and office-based roles.
The partnership with WiC will see 60 women enrolled into work placements across the business, with a target to recruit at least 50% on a permanent basis. Wates will also work with other partners like STEM Returners and Young Women’s Trust to ensure pathways into construction are open and available to a wider pool of women in different life stages.
The programme is the next key step in Wates' commitment to improving the gender balance of its workforce across all levels. In 2020, it announced a complete overhaul of its family friendly policies, including enhanced paternity/partner leave and increased maternity leave, to enable a greater sharing of responsibilities at work and home, and develop a workforce with a more inclusive mindset. In 2021 the Group introduced Flexible Working principles, as well as an inclusion learning programme available to all colleagues.
The company announced the programme to mark International Women's Day. It will work in partnership with Women into Construction (WiC) to provide training and employment opportunities for women at all stages of their career.
With less than 15% of the UK construction workforce represented by women – a figure that reduces to 1% for trade roles Wates and WiC will deliver four employment schemes over a two-year period, each targeting a different area of the business. As well as supporting women into a variety of site-based roles, from project manager to surveyor, it will engage with managers and employees from across the Group to ensure an inclusive environment for all, including female colleagues.
-- Advertisement --
The programme, which will welcome its first cohort in July this year, aims to:
• Raise awareness providing information and advice to encourage women to consider careers in construction and the built environment.
• Open opportunities – offering tailored training to provide women with the right skills to access job opportunities in construction, as well as work experience to challenge perceptions of careers within the industry.
• Widen industry talent pools increasing the number of women applying for and working in construction, including apprenticeships, on-site and office-based roles.
The partnership with WiC will see 60 women enrolled into work placements across the business, with a target to recruit at least 50% on a permanent basis. Wates will also work with other partners like STEM Returners and Young Women’s Trust to ensure pathways into construction are open and available to a wider pool of women in different life stages.
The programme is the next key step in Wates' commitment to improving the gender balance of its workforce across all levels. In 2020, it announced a complete overhaul of its family friendly policies, including enhanced paternity/partner leave and increased maternity leave, to enable a greater sharing of responsibilities at work and home, and develop a workforce with a more inclusive mindset. In 2021 the Group introduced Flexible Working principles, as well as an inclusion learning programme available to all colleagues.
Latest Construction News
29/01/2025
Caddick Construction has been awarded a £43 million contract to deliver the first phase of Cole Waterhouse's flagship regeneration scheme in Digbeth, Birmingham.
The project, known as Upper Trinity Street, marks a significant step in the area’s transformation.
Spanning 182,986 square feet, the re
29/01/2025
McLaren Construction has been appointed by O&H Properties to deliver the first phase of a £60 million Foster & Partners-designed development at the corner of New Bond Street and Grafton Street in London’s West End.
The seven-storey, 5,400 square metre prime retail and office scheme will feature ret
29/01/2025
GMI Construction Group has been awarded a contract to develop three high-specification warehouse units totalling over 175,000 square feet at Precedent Drive, Milton Keynes.
The £20 million project, commissioned by DV5 Last Mile Developments (UK) Ltd, a joint venture between Coltham and Delancey Re
29/01/2025
Plans for 106 sustainable new homes in Southville, a neighbourhood in South Bristol, have been approved as the city seeks to increase housing delivery to address growing demand.
Top 10 award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group will create a £60 million development on Raleigh Road, on land that was
29/01/2025
Bouygues UK has reached a major milestone in the fourth phase of the Hallsville Quarter regeneration project in Canning Town, London.
The project, part of the £3.7 billion Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration Programme, recently held a topping out ceremony, marking the completion of the 11-s
29/01/2025
Willmott Dixon Interiors is carrying out a significant upgrade to the roof of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, one of London's most iconic cultural landmarks.
As part of the £12 million project, the company is installing over 23,000 square feet of sun-protected glazing above the museum’s
29/01/2025
Equans has been appointed by Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils to carry out crucial decarbonisation work across the councils' housing stock, using funding secured through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).
The councils used the South East Consortium's Zero Carbon Framework to s
29/01/2025
In the world of construction, the quest for energy efficiency and sustainability is ever-evolving. Among the array of solutions available, EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) insulation stands out as a versatile and effective option for enhancing the thermal performance of buildings, particularly when used f
29/01/2025
BCP Council has completed significant coastal protection works at Hamworthy Park, ensuring its resilience against erosion for the next 20 years.
A 200-metre stretch of sea wall along the eastern promenade has been reinforced using low-carbon concrete, while new steps have been constructed to improv
29/01/2025
Geo-environmental consultancy and remediation contractor, The LK Group, has strengthened its team with a trio of recruits.
The multidisciplinary company's latest raft of hires comprises a new director, associate director and remediation manager.
The geo-environmental specialist, headquartered i
