Resource Directory signposting for girls and women wanting to train or work in the manual trades in social housing maintenance sector Tradeswomen into Maintenance Project Foreword Alison Inman OBE, President of the Chartered Institute of Housing Social housing maintenance matters. Almost any survey of tenants would put ‘repairs’ pretty much at the top of their concerns. Billions of pounds are spent each year on planned maintenance and responsive repairs. Only 1% of people working on the tools in the construction sector are women and there is no evidence to suggest that the numbers in social housing building maintenance are any better. We have an ageing workforce and, at the same time, we have a skills crisis with around 19% of trade operatives due to retire in the next decade. Yet despite the progress made by women entering other industries, social housing building maintenance trades remain almost exclusively male. The Tradeswomen into Maintenance Project aims to do something about that. This project is sponsored by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and Mears Group. It is the brainchild of Jane Nelson, Group Executive Director of Mears, and aims to increase the number of women working in carpentry, plumbing, painting and decorating, plastering, bricklaying, gas engineering and all of the other trades in social housing maintenance. The project’s Steering Group consists of representatives from across the housing sector and I am pleased to represent the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH). CITB is committed to widening the diversity of the construction industry and it is to be commended for encouraging action in our sector through its support of this project. Mears Group is a well-known maintenance contractor and its support of this important initiative clearly demonstrates a strong commitment to developing a diverse workforce which reflects the many communities which Mears serves up and down the country. The project has developed tools to provide signposting, schools engagement, and legal and best practice guidance – all to try and help employers to attract, appoint and retain women in this non-traditional area. This is an ambition that requires a two-way flow, with employers being willing to take action to recruit and train women, and women workers seeking and taking up these opportunities. This Resource Directory is designed to make careers information easily accessible, direct those interested to providers of accredited training, and help with the development of sustainable roles within the sector. There are many benefits for workers, employers, communities and the economy if we can get this right. The Resource Directory will help with the promotion of local employment opportunities, help increase access to the right training and provide signposting to accredited training courses. Ultimately the aim is to address the important issue of gender equality within the sector and increase the numbers of women in the trades. This will deliver a modern, sustainable workforce, in line with CITB’s equality and diversity goals. I commend this Resource Directory and would like to thank everyone who has contributed to it. Please help share it as widely as possible. Repairs and the state of their homes really matter to tenants. We need more women on the tools carrying out those important repairs and this Directory can help achieve that. Alison Inman OBE President, Chartered Institute of Housing PAGE 2 This Resource Directory is one in a series of booklets produced by the Tradeswomen into Maintenance Project all aimed at increasing the number of women trade operatives in social housing maintenance. Others in the series are: ■ Best Practice Guide – Making social housing landlords and maintenance companies open and welcoming to tradeswomen ■ Research Report – The recruitment and retention of tradeswomen in social housing maintenance ■ Legal Guide – Guidance and templates for procuring social housing maintenance contracts – maximising outcomes for the recruitment and retention of tradeswomen A Schools Toolkit, which is mapped to the national curriculum for schools and colleges in England and Wales, has also been produced as part of the Tradeswomen into Maintenance Project. Details on this toolkit, the above guides and other helpful information can be found at www.mearsgroup.co.uk PAGE 3 CONTENTS ENGLAND NATIONAL 6 LONDON 12 NORTH EAST 18 YORKSHIRE & HUMBER 21 MIDLANDS 26 NORTH WEST 33 SOUTH EAST 40 SOUTH WEST 47 EAST ENGLAND 52 WALES NATIONAL 56 NORTH WALES 58 SOUTH WALES 60 PAGE 4 Introduction This document has been produced by the Tradeswomen into Maintenance Project. The project is funded by the CITB and Mears Group and aims to increase the number of female operatives and apprentices in the Social Housing Building Maintenance sector. This is one of a number of publications from the Project, which also includes a Legal Guide, Research Report and a Best Practice Guide. These can be found on the Mears Group website www.mearsgroup.co.uk. This directory has been put together to provide information to girls and women in England and Wales who are interested in accessing a job, apprenticeship, training or other support in construction-related trades, such as plumbing, electrical, carpentry, painting and decorating, bricklaying and roofing. These are skills that are seen by some as ‘men’s jobs’, but this is not the case. Many women have great, well-paid careers in the trades. Companies like Mears are keen to employ more women as they have a lot of contracts to repair the homes of social housing tenants and they want a workforce that reflects the people who live in those homes – so they want to employ tradeswomen as well as tradesmen and they will provide all the training needed to help you to learn your trade. This directory does not set out a definitive list of organisations that can provide all the information you need to explore a career in the trades; rather the aim is to give a starting point for those wanting to find out more. The Best Practice Guide mentioned above includes some case studies from individual women which give a good idea of their experiences of training and working in a maintenance-related trade. In addition to those organisations listed in this directory, women interested in taking up a career in a maintenance-related trade should also consider contacting their local Job Centre and relevant local employers such as the local council/local authority and housing associations (which sometimes train and employ their own tradespeople) and local maintenance and construction companies. Using this directory This directory sets out contact details for a range of organisations – national and local – that can help you find out more about a job, apprenticeship and/or training, either by providing information, advice and signposting or networking opportunities for example, or through directly providing courses and other practical support, such as taster sessions. The organisations are listed by English and Welsh region, along with sections for national organisations in England and Wales. You could start by looking through one of the national sections of the directory or go straight to the section that relates to where you live. Each organisation listed has contact details, including a link to a website so you can easily find out more and get in touch. We hope that this Resource Directory will be of interest and help women across England and Wales to access a whole new career in the trades. PAGE 5 ENGLAND NATIONAL Built By Both Golden Bricks Tollbar House Tollbar Way Hedge End Southampton Hampshire SO30 2UH Online Resource [email protected] www.barrattgoldenbricks.com/built-by-both-launch Aims to inspire young women to embark on careers within the built environment and show credit to those already working in the industry. Runs a number of networking events open to people from all backgrounds. Built By Us Brixton London Telephone: 020 3290 1135 [email protected] www.builtbyus.org.uk Built By Us is a not-for-profit consultancy based in London that specialises in the construction sector. They support and place candidates wishing to create a career in construction and work with businesses across the UK to find the talent they need. Carillion Training Services Various locations Contact local centre – details online www.carillionplc.com National apprenticeship training provider in all areas of construction. Operates through 11 locations. Chartered Institute Of Housing Octavia House Westwood Way Coventry CV4 8JP Telephone: 024 7685 1700 [email protected] www.cih.org Independent organisation offering support, advocacy and policy advice and training to housing associations, builders and other employers. PAGE 6 Chicks with Bricks Online resource Telephone: 020 3727 3300 join@chickswithbricks www.chickswithbricks.com Chicks with Bricks is a proactive network connecting both established and emerging women in the construction industry. Constructing Equality Ltd Constructing Equality 82 Thingwall Hall Drive Liverpool L14 5PF online form www.constructingequality.co.uk Constructing Equality Ltd’s mission is to create a better construction industry by working with stakeholders to build a sector that fully engages with employees, nurtures talent and drives profits. Offers employer training and support through toolkits and workshops. Constructing Excellence Online resource National and Regional Groups – HO: Constructing Excellence Bucknalls Lane Garston Watford WD25 9XX Telephone: 03330 430 643 [email protected]