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Well over 250 students from a host of local schools are set to attend a major three day event in Bradford to encourage more women and young people to take up careers in construction.

The Women into Construction event will take place in a giant marquee in the city’s Centenary Square between 13-15 October and has been organised by propertysolutions – part of the Incommunities group - in association with its construction partners, Wates Living Space. It is being backed by ConstructionSkills - the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry.

A host of exhibitors are joining the organisers at the event. They include Bullock Construction, the Construction Industry Training Board, Powerminster Gleeson Services, Plumbing Trade Supplies, Bradford College and Bradford University

Visitors will be able to meet building professionals, talk to local trade apprentices and discuss the range of construction careers with training experts. The event will feature workshops where people can get a hands-on taster of different building skills such as bricklaying, joinery and plastering.

Each day from 9am to 3.30pm the event will be open to schools and each student will be presented with certificates to mark their participation.

Between 4pm and 5pm, parents are encouraged to come along with their daughters to find out more about the career opportunities. The wider public are invited to come along from 5pm to 7pm over the three days.

The Women into Construction event is the latest initiative to be taken by Incommunities’ propertysolutions to address areas of under-representation locally in the sector particularly amongst women. Over the last two years these have included ‘taster days’ for female students and a teacher awareness day to promote construction careers with the help of staff in schools.

These initiatives have played a big part in the successful recruitment of more women into the Incommunities trade apprenticeship programme and careers such as joinery, painting and decorating and plumbing.

Delroy Beverley, Director of Incommunities – propertysolutions said: “This event promises to give young women the opportunity to discover more about working in constriction, in particular Year 10 and 11 students who may be looking at their career choices. Incommunities has developed closer and closer links with local schools as part of our ‘boardroom to the playground’ campaign to reach young people. By joining forces with Wates and our other partners everyone who comes along to Centenary Square will get a unique insight into the varied building skills needed to build a successful career.

“It is important that everyone in the construction sector works together to address areas of under-representation particularly amongst women and I’m delighted to see so many local schools getting involved. Everyone is really looking forward to a busy and rewarding three days. We want to show that the building trade isn’t just for boys but is equally open to girls!”

Jez Lester, Incommunities’ Assistant Chief Executive – asset management said: “Incommunities actively work to promote building careers for everyone and we are proud that nearly one-third of our trade apprentices are women.

“Working with our partners including Wates Living Space and ConstructionSkills we want to help more females and other under-represented groups to discover more about the fabulous opportunities working in the sector.

“This event is a great opportunity for young people attending to take that first step towards building an exciting career.”

Leslie Peers, Skills and Training Manager, Wates Group said: " Wates Living Space has been involved with the significant recruitment of females into both its Craft and Technical and Professional sections for some time and has run specific recruitment and information events both in Leeds and Manchester.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Incommunities’ propertysolutions to bring this important event to the people of the Bradford and surrounding areas."

“Across the Wates group 19% of our apprentice workforce are female and 10% are from a BME background and we have found that there are significant benefits from employing a diverse workforce particularly in the communities in which we work. We want to show that this is an industry that is open to all.”

Richard Wadkin, Recruitment and Careers Advisor at ConstructionSkills Yorkshire & Humber said: “ConstructionSkills is fully committed to supporting the event, as it is important to highlight the exciting construction opportunities available to females across the region. We hope that the workshops will go some way to encouraging the students to seriously think about it as a career.

“ConstructionSkills is wholly committed to raising the industry’s profile to females and to raise awareness of the skill base that is required to work in construction and that’s why events such as today are vitally important.”