One of the largest infrastructure projects in Europe has made its first major steps in raising the profile of women in construction on the first National Women in Engineering Day (NWED).
Thames Tideway Tunnel launched a commitment yesterday at the Institution of Civil Engineers to increase inclusivity on the project and in the construction industry.
Andy Mitchell, CEO of Thames Tideway Tunnel Ltd, said:
“Women only account for 11 percent of the construction workforce – a figure which needs to be addressed urgently. As one of the largest infrastructure projects of its kind in Europe, Thames Tideway Tunnel has a compelling opportunity to make considerable changes, and inspire the future generation of women in all aspects of construction.”
Sue Hitchcock, Third Party Infrastructure Manager at Thames Tideway Tunnel, said:
“There are so many exciting opportunities for women in all areas of our industry and we are taking steps towards raising their profile. I hope we can help encourage young women to be the engineers, designers and project managers of the future.”
As part of the day’s events, London schoolgirls were also invited in to the project head office in Paddington where they learned what it was like to be engineers for the day.
Around 40 girls were tasked with a design challenge in the hope that they will be encouraged to follow a career in a STEM (Science, engineering, technology and maths) subject to help fill a significant skills gap.
Thames Tideway Tunnel has created a forum to discuss best practice and to try and break down the barriers that prevent women from taking a career in construction.
Mr Mitchell added:
“This is the start of our commitment to breaking down those barriers. We want to make sure we have an environment that encourages equality in our workforce.”
The launch of the forum comes after Thames Tideway Tunnel joined the Government’s ‘Your Life’ campaign, aimed at increasing the number of youngsters – especially young women – pursuing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers.
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