Traditionally a male-dominated sector, you could be forgiven for thinking that there aren’t many women studying construction subjects at the college. So, it may come as a surprise to hear that female learners on the City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Plumbing and Heating are outweighing their male peers. The cohort, which is made up of 11 students, includes six female learners of different ages and backgrounds, highlighting the growing interest and diverse talent in the trade.

We had the opportunity to sit down with women in the group to hear about their journey into plumbing and their motivation behind the decision.

Isobel (right on photo)

As a young mum to a 10-month-old daughter, Isobel got into plumbing to prove to her daughter that hands-on jobs are not just for men!

Isobel said: “When I lived with my mum, she would always hire female tradespeople to do jobs in our house because she felt more comfortable that way.

“My goal is to become self-employed, doing jobs for people that will work around being a good mum and doing the school run.”

Amanda (centre)

By choosing to study plumbing at the college, Amanda made a significant career change from her previous work with horses.

Amanda said: “I have always been a practical person. I live local to the college and heard about the plumbing course from other people and wanted to try it!”

Michelle (left of photo)

Prior to starting the plumbing course, Michelle worked as a recycling operative at a firm in Gateshead. When the commute became too much, she looked into the course at the college which was local to her home and saw it as an opportunity to broaden her skillset.

On what she might do in the future, she told us: “I hope to find work in construction after the course, but I am also interested in other construction courses at the college in areas like bricklaying, plastering, joinery, and gas, and I may end up enrolling on another course in the future.

“Doing the course has given me a confidence boost. I have even improved my maths skills when working out measurements for plumbing tasks.”

Emily

After leaving school, Emily was not sure what she wanted to do next. She said: “I made the decision to enrol on the plumbing course very last minute. I have always preferred physical tasks and had no interest in doing office work.

“I didn’t expect there to be many females on the course, so it was a nice surprise to see how many other women had enrolled.”

As head of department for construction, engineering, and service industries at the college, Emma Booth shared her enthusiasm for more female learners in the construction industry. She said: “Celebrating women in construction is a powerful way to highlight the significant contributions that women are making in today’s industry. Over the years, women have been breaking barriers, driving innovation, and leading projects in construction, helping to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce. Our curriculum offer is inclusive, diverse, and we are proud to celebrate our females as part of Women in Construction Week.”

To find out more about construction courses at the college: visit www.cleveland.ac.uk.