The WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Campaign to encourage a gender balance in science and engineering aims to launch a new “People Like Me” pack for the environmental sector. CGL is the first employer to support the initiative and will provide training facilities, case studies, role models and financial support.
The People Like Me initiative follows a revolutionary approach that uses girls’ natural tendency to express their self-identity with adjectives – rather than specific roles – to help them see themselves working happily and successfully in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM).
WISE has already published six People Like Me resource packs for sectors including electronics, gas & oil and digital industries. WISE plans to launch its Environmental Pack in January 2018 and is actively looking for more commercial sponsors to join CGL.
The packs equip teachers and STEM Ambassadors with materials that can show girls from a diverse range of backgrounds that, if they continue with at least one STEM subject post-16, they are likely to have better prospects and more career choice. The packs contain a quiz to show girls where people just like them are happy and successful in their work, which can also be downloaded as a free app from the Apple store.
“It’s important to us to offer our resources, experience, role models and financial support to help WISE with this great initiative that will help demonstrate opportunities for women through rewarding careers in the environmental sector as well as benefitting future employers and the environment.” Jo Strange, CGL Technical Director
Employers in the environmental sector who are interested in becoming a sponsor should contact Dr Mhairi Crawford at WISE for more information. They are also welcome to discuss what is involved with Jo Strange or Nick Langdon at CGL.
CGL used the same approach as WISE in its 2016 publication “The Female Face of Civil Engineering“ (tffoce.net), showing women from a variety of backgrounds working in a range of jobs associated with the construction industry. The booklet and online resource was circulated to local schools, STEM organisations and is hosted on the web.
CGL has long been a supporter of the UKRC/WISE Campaign having been one of the pioneering recipients of the SET Fair Standard and was the first SME to sign up to the WISE 10 Steps initiative. CGL is an exemplary employer for inclusivity in the construction sector with a near 50% female workforce.
