Careers for girls in construction highlighted in Taff’s Well
Careers in construction, transport and STEM are not just for boys, was the message at an alternative careers event for girls in Taff’s Well.
Wales’ leading gender equality charity, Chwarae Teg partnered with Griffiths to present the next Not Just for Boys event on the 17th of November.
Not Just for Boys aims to give girls in years 8 and 9, from local schools, the chance to find out more about different career options before they choose their GCSE subjects. Pupils from Radyr Comprehensive school and Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg attended the event, which particularly focussed on careers in the construction sector.
Griffiths, who hosted the event is a sustainable civil engineering contractor that helps connect communities through road, rail, water and utilities. As a regional company, they have an interest in the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the areas within which they live and work and invest in these local communities through every project they undertake.
Pupils took part in activities with role models from the four exhibitors: Griffiths, Dŵr Cymru, Transport for Wales and CAF and went on a site tour and visited the Ffordd Bleddyn warehouses to view a TFW model train.
The “Young Women’s Experiences of Careers Advice and Guidance in Wales” report published last month by Chwarae Teg explores the current picture of career advice services for young women in Wales. Frustratingly, it shows that too many career choices continue to be shaped by longstanding gender stereotypes – leading to gender segregation in the workplace and Wales’ persistent gender pay gap.
Women are still favouring traditionally female dominated sectors, despite the need for more women in sectors such as science, technology, engineering and maths which can offer higher salaries.
Emily Loosmore, Collaboration Coordinator, Chwarae Teg, said:
“Chwarae Teg wants to give girls the opportunity to explore careers that they might not consider as women, and we are delighted to be working with a fantastic, Welsh employer like Griffiths to spread this message. Not Just for Boys gives girls a chance to meet industry professionals and learn new skills.
“Current surveys indicate that only 11% of the UK’s engineering workforce is made up of women and that the UK has the lowest percentage of female engineering professionals in Europe. This event with Griffiths, an important local employer, will show girls that they too can aspire to a career in non-traditional sectors.”
Carla Rendell, Social Value Manager, Griffiths said:
“Griffiths were delighted to be able to work in collaboration with Chwarae Teg to host the Not Just for Boys event to help drive gender equality in Wales. The event was a fantastic opportunity to give local girls an insight into the careers available to them in the construction, civil engineering and rail industry. Thank you to everyone involved.”
