Women In Construction

0:00Now, with women currently making up just 11% of Ireland's construction workforce, the construction industry federation is using this year's International Women's Day to shine a spotlight on pathways into the sector and the leadership needed to drive real change. It's International Women's Day, so much takes place tomorrow at the John's Townest State. Joining me now is Southern Regional Director with the Construction Industry Federation and MC for the event, Joanne Tracy. Joanne, thanks for being with us on Morning Focus. Good morning, Alan. Thanks for having me. Good morning to you. So how significant is this gathering for the industry nationally? Oh, look, it's really important. It's probably one of our biggest events within our calendar year. This year, it sold out within minutes, which is indicative of how I suppose our industry is seeing as the importance that they see and being represented. We will be hosting over 650 people at the event in person tomorrow, as well as live streaming at 200 others. So it really is a highlight, as I said, for the year, for the calendar, for the IF.

1:03The team for this year's event is given to Gain, and I guess the premise behind that is that investing in women to time, mentorship, resources and opportunities, they will yield collective transformative gains for the whole society, and I think that's the importance. We need the diversity and inclusivity of both men and women in the industry. Yeah, diversity and inclusivity, the operative words, particularly when you think of the start I just mentioned, just 11% of those employed in construction in Ireland are women. Juan, why do you believe that figure remains relatively low? Is there one predominant reason or are there still a number of significant barriers to be overcome to enable more women to enter the sector? If I think of the combination of reasons to be honest with you, you know, as you mentioned, the figure is stark, like 11% still, you know, is the representation of females within the construction industry, and of that 11%, only 1% are actually site-based workers.

2:04So, you know, when you drill down into it, it is, it's nowhere near where we need or want to be. I suppose on a positive, slightly positive sense in terms of apprenticeships, there's about 10% of suppose of the apprentices currently now represented by women, so we're seeing that figure, while it still sounds low, it is increasing. So we're seeing more women and young girls taking opera apprenticeships as a career choice, which is fantastic. And I think we have to mention Caitlin Commons as a real role model for young girls. Now, maybe considering a craft or a trade as an option within the construction industry as Caitlin Commons being our Rosa Trillee and currently on Dancing with the Stars doing really well there. She's demonstrating, she's a jack of all trades, but first and foremost, she's an electrical apprentice. And, you know, I think she's really shine a light on it. Outside of that, I think we do have, I suppose, an issue in relation to access to construction-related

3:07subjects, particularly in all girls' schools, like just 5% of girls from single sex schools report access to construction studies, when 6% to engineering, compared to 84% and 74% respectively in mixed schools. So that in itself is, I suppose, an area that we need to kind of focus on and try and turn the dial and get the subjects more available to young girls in these schools so that they have the options and the opportunities. And, you know, as the saying goes, if you can see it, you can be it. If we're presenting the opportunities to them, they become more real. Yeah, there's no county by county breakdown as such in the figures Joanne, but if we, you know, if you can extrapolate for us, if we think it's 11% nationwide, the air go, it's pretty low in Claire as well, I would imagine. How important is it more women in Claire consider careers in construction? I guess, particularly given one of the hot topics that certainly features in this show,

4:09a lot, our housing infrastructure and climate issues and our targets in those regards. Yeah, absolutely. It's essential. Look, it is essential that we cannot rely on, you know, 50% of the population to be entering careers in construction. You know, we absolutely have to have a balance in terms of both boys and girls entering the construction industry and choosing the construction industry as a career option for the fore themselves and for future. And there are so many opportunities and this is the key, you know, that there are, it isn't just muddy boots anymore, like there are so many careers available now within the construction industry when you talk about sustainability, off-site manufacturing, planning, finance, health and safety design, you know, these are all parts of the construction industry careers aside from, you know, the traditional apprenticeships, the trades, the electrical, flammaries, carpenters, bricklayers, engineers, civil, mechanical, you know, so it is, there is such a diverse range of careers available that I think we just, we need to be, I suppose, presenting these

5:11opportunities to two school goers and I know I'm aware and even had an event actually in Shannon this week. I think explore engineering showcase and I think it was in Shannon Airports. That's a great opportunity. Yeah, and that's actually happening today. Oh, is it today? Yeah, so, like, so I was aware of that and I think, you know, that in itself, it's, you know, I know the way they're presenting it is, you know, bring its parents, its teachers, secondary school students, but it's also primary school students. So the more opportunities, the more we present to people at a younger age, the more is on their rate or the more choices they have. And I think within the CIF, we've really focused on, you know, bringing these opportunities to life. We have a really strong careers and construction campaign. We encourage member companies to visit schools. We support them. We visit schools with them so that we can talk to the students directly and about the opportunities within the industry. There's also a program called STEM Passport, which for inclusion, which is, again, delivering opportunities to students and secondary school around STEM subjects.

6:12And we also have, it was another event that was held in the RDS at the beginning of every this year. It's called I Wish and it's aimed at Transition Year girls and there's 4,000 Transition Year girls attend this event annually in the RDS and this year was the first year. It's a STEM event. Sorry, it's to bring STEM opportunities and careers to the attention of these Transition Year students. But this year was the first year we had a construction zone. So again, we're really, you know, we are so focused on raising the awareness and delivering the opportunities. And really, as I said, just making the students aware that they have access and trying to create that access for them. Okay. Well, look, tomorrow's event is going to be very important over 600 attendees expected from across the country for the CF's International Women's Day summit, Joanne Tracy Southern Regional Director with the CF and you'll be busy tomorrow as well as MC on the event. Thank you. Watch that voice for the rest of the day and thanks for joining us this morning. Great.

7:13Listen, Alan. Thanks for the opportunity, all the best. No problem. And we'll speak to you again, Joanne Tracy there with us. On Morning Focus.