Female leaders from the world of construction have taken part in a panel discussion at Northampton College as part of a drive to get more young women into the industry.
The dedicated ‘Women in Construction’ event was held at the college’s Booth Lane campus on Friday, January 19 and saw representatives from companies including Ilmor, Winvic and Bhangals Construction speak to students from three local schools about the opportunities available to them within a rapidly changing sector.
Three standalone sessions were then held looking at careers in painting, engineering and plumbing.
Mark Bradshaw, curriculum manager for construction, said: “Getting more women into the construction industry is a real passion of mine and something I am consistently campaigning for. The industry is starting to catch up and real changes are happening, presenting more opportunities for women to make their mark in what is traditionally a male-dominated workplace.
“It was inspiring to hear from so many women who are enjoying exceptional careers in the sector and proving to be trailblazers for change locally. Hopefully many of the students involved will now be more determined than ever to show they belong in construction and can enjoy long and successful careers of their own.”
The panel consisted of Lauren Kneafsey from The Qube, Hayley Barnett, Emma Watson and Eilidh MacInnes from Ilmor, Katie Newman from Bhangals Construction, Cheryl Loak from Totally Unique Training Solutions and Emma Alderman and Sophie Shacklock from Winvic Construction.
Pupils from Thomas Beckett, Wootton Park School and Northampton International Academy were in attendance.
