Partner Article

Teesside team-up to get women into industry

A Teesside-based training provider has teamed up with a Sector Skills Council to host an event promoting career opportunities for women in industry. The TTE Technical Training Group joined forces with the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies (Semta) to host the workshop in Middlesbrough. The event focused on helping break down barriers for women wanting to progress their careers in industry.

Attended by women working in Tees Valley industry and female learners currently training with TTE, the workshop at TTE’s Edison House training centre discussed the challenges facing women trying to progress in traditionally male-dominated technical sectors.

Semta also used the event to promote its access to public funding to support industrial employers in England who want to develop their female workforce. The Women & Work programme is designed to improve businesses by helping employers support the skills development and potential of female workers.

Tim Mahoney, Cross-sector Funding Advisor from Semta who led the workshop, said: “With growing skills shortages in industry the opportunities for women are increasing. However, there needs to be a cultural shift among employers to improve on the percentage of women working in technical environments.

“These workshops can play a part in changing perceptions, but also help toward developing the confidence of women who have the ability to progress their careers to a level that matches their skills.”

Keith Hunter, Managing Director of The TTE Technical Training Group, said: “TTE is a strong advocate of equality in industry and was happy to host this event in partnership with Semta. Year on year, we have increased the number of female learners on our Apprenticeship programmes, which is demonstrating a growing interest in careers in industry among women. With the support of forward-thinking employers these women are becoming essential members of the workforce.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .