25th January

AROUND 50 Year 9 pupils from schools across Devon attended the Devon Education Business Partnership-run Women in Construction event on Friday (January 20) at Exeter College to find out more about the many exciting opportunities available to them in the Construction industry.

Clearly demonstrating the ‘Not for Girls’ ethos sometimes associated with the industry carries no weight in the modern-day workplace, Exeter College Construction teaching staff, existing female Construction students, and local successful women already working in Construction showed the pupils, all girls aged 13 and 14, the broad variety of study and career options open to them.

In a series of workshops which took place throughout the day, they were treated to taster sessions in everything from brickwork and painting and decorating to professional careers such as surveying, and basic design principles.

They were also given a tour of Exeter College’s Construction facilities at the faculty’s Sowton-based skills training centre – recently revamped thanks to a £1 million expansion plan. Presented with certificates at the end of their visit, prizes were then awarded to those who performed best over the three subjects experienced.

It is now hoped that, as a result of the enjoyable experience, some of the girls may feel inspired to take up a Construction course at Exeter College with a view to then entering directly into employment in the building trade or going on to university.

Teachers and pupils attended from Exeter’s St Peter’s Church of England Aided School, St James School, Isca College of Media Arts, and West Exe Technology College, and from Cullompton Community College, Honiton Community College, and Uffculme School.

This is the ninth year that Kathy Snow, Partnership Advisor for Exeter-based Devon Education Business Partnership, has organised the event.

She said: “It originally started as an event supported by the Construction Industry Training Board which used to fund projects which promoted the Construction industry in schools but was so successful that we have continued to run it ever since.

“The aim was – and remains – to encourage students to come into a college and get them interested in Construction at all levels, from bricklaying to architecture, finance and marketing. For the last five years, it has been hosted here at Exeter College because of the excellent facilities they can provide for the event.

“While there are more women going into Construction now than perhaps a decade ago, there are still not enough. So it was really great to see female students already at College who are not that much older than the visitors today offering them such positive encouragement, as well as the women employers who have also kindly gave up their time along with College staff to put on the workshops and show them around.”

Delighted that Exeter College was hosting the event for a fifth year running, Chris Whittaker, Head of the Construction faculty, added: “Female employers do very well within the construction industry. This may be either working on building sites, in households, or for large construction organisations as part of their design or management teams, covering topics such as quantity surveying, structural engineering, or site management.

“We hope this extremely popular event has stimulated the attendees’ interest in construction and will enable them to make more informed decisions about their future education and careers.”