Thames Tideway Tunnel, one of the UK’s biggest infrastructure projects, is working with Government to encourage women to shape London’s infrastructure for the 22nd century.

Thames Tideway Tunnel has pledged to help boost the number of women in engineering and technology in support of the Cabinet Office’s ‘Your Life’ campaign, which launched today.

 According to the Adam Smith Institute, only 11 per cent of the construction workforce is female.  Thames Tideway Tunnel will work in partnership with educators, industry and government to increase this number, supporting national aspirations to get 30 per cent of undergraduates studying Engineering and Technology to be women by 2030.

 Mike Gerrard, Managing Director of Thames Tideway Tunnel, said:

 “Your Life is an important and timely campaign, which we strongly support. Around thirty per cent of our current project workforce are women, including some of our most talented engineers. We have created a Thames Tideway Tunnel Women’s Forum which focuses on raising their profile and supporting career development.

“We realise that a lot more can be done. That is why we have made further commitments to the Government’s campaign. We look forward to helping make this a great success.”

Thames Tideway Tunnel will double the number of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) ambassadors over the next two years, as well as increasing the proportion of female STEM ambassadors 10 per cent by 2015. The project team has also committed to maintaining an equal gender balance in its work experience placements as much as possible, and to encourage a greater proportion of women applicants for graduate and trainee positions.

 Jackie Roe, Delivery Manager at Thames Tideway Tunnel, said:

“There are so many exciting opportunities for women in engineering and construction, so I’m thrilled that Thames Tideway Tunnel is supporting this campaign. I hope we can help encourage more women to consider a career in engineering.”