The Career Changers – Women into Construction Project, by Encon Construction, has succeeded in getting funding from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

Encon is partnering with Acorn Recruitment and a number of other organisations in the sector, including Cardiff Community Housing Association, the Home Builders Federation, Glamorgan Construction Training Group, and Chwarae Teg for a project aimed at tackling the industry skills shortage by attracting more women into a construction career.

It’s a two-and-a-half-year programme which will provide free organisation and unconscious bias training as well as mentorship for 50 women. One of its focuses is on helping support those changing careers, and those employing them, to implement flexible working arrangements as a further step to bringing talented women into the industry.

“I can’t wait to become a mentor and hopefully help other women to fulfil their career goals by sharing my knowledge and experience from 20 years in construction,” said Antonia John, business development and CSR manager at Encon.

Phil Woodward, Encon’s managing director, added: “We are the first SME in Wales to have been awarded a CITB commission, and I am thrilled to be working on such an inspiring project that has the potential to transform the way the industry works, and the lives of all who engage with it.”

Lawrence Beach, Construction Operations Manager at Acorn, said: “We have lots of working examples of women thriving within the construction industry, but the gender gap remains an issue facing the sector. This partnership shows that employers and jobseekers of all backgrounds can work together in pursuit of a common goal, regardless of any perceived differences to the contrary.

We’re absolutely delighted to place women into a work environment that they feel not only fulfilled by, but confidently capable of carrying out to the best of their abilities.”