Jane Hutt MS visits Construction Academy to celebrate women in industry
28/04/2023On Thursday 27 April, Bridgend College and Persimmon Homes welcomed Dolau Primary School students and Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt MS, to highlight career pathways for women within the construction sector.
The session, held at the Persimmon Academy, was a celebration of female achievement and possibility. The Year 6 pupils had the chance to participate in a practical carpentry and bricklaying workshop and to listen to talks from Sharon Bouhali, Sales Director for Persimmon West Wales, and Ellena Hodges, Land and Planning Assistant for Persimmon East Wales. The talks outlined their individual routes into the sector and what it was like working for one of the UK’s largest house builders.
It’s important we encourage women and girls to consider a career in the construction industry and give them the necessary tools, support and opportunities to do so.
It has been fantastic to see female apprentices today showing their carpentry skills to school pupils, so they can be inspired and see first hand what they can achieve if they put their mind to it.
Welsh Government provided almost £1.5 million in grant funding in the last financial year to support the delivery of STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) initiatives, with a strong focus on encouraging girls to consider careers in STEM.
Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt MS
As part of the visit, a current Bridgend College Carpentry apprentice, Betty Lee, discussed her positive experiences of studying and working alongside a predominately male peer group.
The construction industry is one traditionally pursued by men, with women making up only 14% of the construction and engineering workforce worldwide.
Rachel Lewis, Deputy Curriculum Manager of Construction at Bridgend College is integral in the strategic direction of the department. Bringing with her a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, her presence goes a long way in creating positive female representation for women considering entering the field. She celebrates that the number of female applicants is on the rise.
A growing number of women are choosing a career in construction: 37% of new entrants into the construction industry that come from higher education are now women. At Bridgend College, the number of female applicants for Construction is on the rise, and we are continuously working to provide a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment for all our students to be all that they can be.
Rachel Lewis, Deputy Curriculum Manager of Construction
Bridgend College champions opportunities for all, supporting female students and staff to access courses and positions traditionally held by men.
I was a bit nervous when I first started my course as there were a lot of male students but I soon came to realise that it doesn’t matter about the gender, just about your hard work and determination.
Alisha Thomas, a current Bricklaying apprentice
