In August St Edward and Rushmoor Borough Council ran a two day bricklaying and construction course at Hartland Village to inspire more women into the industry.
The women started the course with Harlequin Brickwork, getting hands on bricklaying experience. They worked together to build a BBQ, pizza oven and seating area with a fire pit, which will now be enjoyed by the labourers on site.
They then met different trades on site, to learn about various careers and options available to them. To finish the course, they celebreated with a feast cooked on their handmade BBQ.
Nicky Phillips, Employment and Skills Project Support Officer, Rushmoor Borough Council, and Jenni Upstill, Community Liaison Advisor, St Edward spotted the opportunity after St Edward attended the Rushmoor No 1 Routes to Employment job fair earlier this year.
"We found there were a lot of women showing interest in construction as a possible career. Knowing that it can be really daunting to step on to a building site, a typically male dominated environment, we decided to host a taster for women only, to make the process a lot less intimidating" said Jenni.
With women making up less than 13% of the UK's construction workforce, St Edward and Rushmoor Borough Council plan to collaborate to tackle the myths surrounding the industry and educate local women in the many benefits of working in construction, from great pay to fantastic career progression. Hampshire Employment and Skills hub will be hosting a 2 week training course in early September through the Construction Skills Fund (CSF), where any women inspired by the taster days can get their Health and Safety Level 1 and CSCS card for free.
Hartland Village, where the training is taking place, is less than a year into its 13 year lifespan which will see 1,500 new homes built, with a Village Centre, 70 acre Country Park and a bounty of green space for community events and leisure activities to take place in.
With more than a decade of work still to come, Paul Vallone, Executive Chairman for St Edward said: "There will be hundreds of job opportunities as Hartland Village continues to progress. We are keen to do everything we can to support people in the local area into rewarding and fulfilling jobs in construction."
There is also a great range of employment support available in Rushmoor, including job clubs and training courses. More information is available via skills@rushmoor.gov.uk.