- Birmingham local Amanjeet secured role on HS2 project that
will connect her hometown with major cities
- Recent data shows there are almost 2 million more women in
work overall since 2010
Hundreds of women have got construction and engineering jobs
thanks to support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
partnership with charity, Women into Construction, as latest
figures reveal there are almost 2 million more women in
employment since 2010.
Amanjeet from Birmingham was one of those who took part in the
scheme and has since progressed up the ladder at HS2 thanks to
the support. Using the experience and skills she gained from the
placement she is able to plan, direct and coordinate the
development of one the biggest engineering projects in the
country, and a vital part of the government’s levelling up
agenda.
After graduating with a BEng Civil and Transportation Engineering
degree from Wolverhampton University, Amanjeet struggled to find
work in the pandemic. Her DWP Work Coach referred her to Women
into Construction, a charity with a mission to boost the number
of women on construction sites through work experience.
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Amanjeet was able to
secure a 4-week virtual programme with HS2 which included
training and work experience.
Upon completing this programme, she took on further training to
get access to a development site, giving her the skills and
experience she needed to secure a work placement with Balfour
Beatty.
After her placement, she progressed to an Assistant Project
Manager role at HS2 which she started in November 2021,
overseeing a major engineering project which will connect her
hometown of Birmingham to other major cities in the UK.
Minister for Employment, said:
It’s fantastic to see women climb the ladder – especially in a
sector like construction – and support to progress is on hand at
jobcentres around the country.
Almost 2 million more women are in work than in 2010, and while
our Work Coaches are focused on getting people into jobs, they
are also doing great work supporting people to increase their
hours, lift their income and progress.
Amanjeet, from Birmingham said:
The Women into Construction Virtual work experience programme my
DWP work coach referred me to was amazing; I learnt so much about
myself and HS2, and afterwards, I was offered a job and finally
got to make use of my Civil Engineering degree and do a job I
liked.
The Department for Work and Pensions helped me access the skills
and experience I needed to progress to my ideal job as an
Assistant Project Manager for HS2 – which without Women into
Construction would not have been possible.
Jacqui Wordsworth, Director of Business Development at Women into
Construction said:
It’s been great seeing talent like Amanjeet’s develop. We are so
proud of all the women that we have helped succeed in their
careers, within construction and engineering, through our
partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions.
Working within construction is a fantastic opportunity, no matter
what gender you are, with huge amounts of potential for
progression. We’re committed to Change the Face of Construction
by helping more women into employment in this sector and help
them succeed through in-depth 1-2-1 support including training,
mentorship and work experience.
Women into Construction has been partnering with DWP to support
unemployed women into the construction sector since 2008. The
partnership supports those DWP jobseekers who wouldn’t ordinarily
consider a career in this sector to explore their options in a
supported environment, thanks to the in depth 1-2-1 support
provided by the Women into Construction team.
Since then, Women into Construction has supported thousands of
women into employment in the sector, through their employment
programmes in London, Birmingham, Cambridge, Norfolk and Essex.
