Engineering news
Announced today (8 March) on International Women’s Day, the collaboration with not-for-profit Women into Construction (WiC) is aimed at providing the project access to a larger pool of talented women.
A new initiative will tackle the barriers that might prevent women access to roles in the nuclear industry, and enable Sizewell C to more easily recruit potential female employees.
The two organisations will work together to provide work experience placements, job application support, progression support, and other opportunities to show the roles available at the project on the Suffolk coast.
Women into Construction was formed to address the gender imbalance in construction of the Olympic Park for London 2012, and to inspire better gender balance throughout wider construction industry.
Damian Leydon, Sizewell C site delivery director and former construction director of the Athletes’ Village for London 2012, said: “I’ve seen firsthand the impact that Women into Construction had at the Olympic Park, and I know they’ll make a significant difference for the Sizewell C project, enabling us to build the best team possible through direct access to a talent pool of potential female employees.
“We know that there are barriers that prevent women from moving into construction roles like the ones on offer at Sizewell C – it’s an issue not only facing our project, but many others in the nuclear industry and across construction. Through this partnership, however, we can tackle those barriers head on, and it really signals our intent to engage more women in the project, especially in areas where they are currently underrepresented.”
WiC provides advice and guidance, training, work placements and jobs to women interested in entering the construction industry, while also helping contractors and stakeholders to address the skills shortages in construction and create a more diverse workforce.
Business development director Jacqui Wordsworth said: “We are delighted to be working with Sizewell C to help inspire and encourage women to consider a career in construction in the East Anglia region. Only 16% of the entire workforce in the UK construction industry is represented by women, and we are looking forward to working with Sizewell C to provide women in the region with the opportunity to gain valuable insights and experience into what we believe is an exciting sector and company.”
Sizewell C’s leadership team is 55% female, a project announcement said. Apprenticeship recruitment has been 50% female since the programme began in 2021, and the workforce is over 40% female.
To help it achieve and maintain its gender balance targets, the project had created a Gender Balance Network and become a WiC member.
Hayley Critchley, head of compliance at Sizewell C, joined the construction team three weeks ago. She said: “Sizewell C is such an amazing opportunity for women in East Suffolk. There are a lot of ladies that hold key roles onsite already, and it’s a really welcoming environment for women. I feel like I have a voice here already and my needs as a woman in construction have been thought through and catered for.
“It’s clear that Sizewell C has put in place the policies, the processes, and the support networks to make it a truly diverse and gender-balanced place to work. But it really is hard to get ladies to apply for construction roles, there are so many perceived blockers in the construction industry.
“WiC can make a difference there – I love what they are doing and the services and ongoing support that they offer. I think they’ll open up the amazing opportunities at Sizewell C to even more women in the region.”
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