CONTEXT OF PROJECT Lately, the demand of equal opportunities is one of the main focus to improve as a society. However, the construction industry remains a predominantly male enclave, despite all the efforts made to make it inclusive. Today, there are signs of a cultural shift in the industry and women can be found in high-skilled occupations, such as engineers or architects, being still scarce the percentage of women working on construction-site. What are the real obstacles to women entering and remaining in different construction occupations? Some individual, market and social difficulties have been already identify: *Intrinsic barriers: women don’t see themselves as a construction workers *Labour market barriers: where a job carried out by a woman can be considered as not proffesional *Barriers among colleagues In addition to above blockades, it could be also mentioned the inappropriate provision of training, as well as employment and working conditions, which also determined the male-oriented shape of the construction industry. OBJECTIVES In order to contribute to overcome the barriers explained above, the project will try to re-envision the vocational training towards an equal construction industry by achieving the following objectives: *Change the paradigm in the construction industry by making the sector more equal, attractive and social responsible throughout gender-oriented training *Break down big cultural barriers and enhancing women sensitivity towards this sector *Catch women’s eye on the construction industry, underscoring those activities with more possibilities to get an effective insertion of them into the labour market *Provide VET centres with gender competences that enable them to rethink their training focus approach and look for opportunities for a more equal sector *Establish mentoring guidance measures in order to facilitate the transition of the construction industry towards a gender awareness-raising and balance *Achieve the recognition of gender competences and build up functional conditions that allow further programmes with better performance PARTICIPANTS The project will address mainly four target groups: 1: Women, particularly long-term unemployed and young under 30 (60) 2: Trainers of Construction sector (690) 3: VET centres (292) 4: Enterprises and labour market (175) All in all, we envisaged 1.217 participants directly benefited by project core activities as well as 1.306.964 of potential recipients. ACTIVITIES A number of activities will be carried out to achieve projects objectives and contribute to remove existing barriers to women's access to the construction sector: 1. Gender-sensitive MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) and trainer’s manual for construction VET Trainers 2. Learning by-doing: immersive experience for women by constructing a small scale NZEB building 3. Guidelines for VET centres to develop mentoring skills for women 4. Definition of an action plan, roadmap and support services for companies 5. Establishment of a standard recognition and a training e-platform METHODOLOGY The initiative will use an inclusive methodology that will aim to target and involve, on the one hand main beneficiaries that will participate directly in the activities, and on the other hand relevant key players that will evaluate results and endorse the project. Also, the combination of quantitative and qualitative research techniques will get the most out of different sources, allowing sound and supported conclusions and recommendations. Besides, the production of new training contents and skills using EQF methodology guarantee its transference to others sectors alike and countries with similar difficulties. RESULTS The project is willing to obtain the following results: *Triggering gender equality within construction industry *Dealing with labour market issues and youth unemployment *Delivering of new educational methods with a gender-oriented approach *Development of new training courses: MOOC and immersive training on NZEB *Valorisation of the construction and improvement of its social image *Attraction of women to the construction site IMPACT A high project’s impact within the sector and its organisations is ensured by the presence of large and relevant VET providers, which are mainly formed by employers' associations and trade unions and/or public institutions. The actions envisaged also ensure a multiplier effect on the territory via endorsement of public authorities and women organisations with a position to transfer outcomes to broader audience. Moreover, the European dimension of actions will foster social innovation and impact at EU level. POTENTIAL LONG-TERM BENEFITS The findings may guide organisations to develop and implement policies, strategies and initiatives geared towards attracting, integrating, supporting and motivating women who are, or wish to be, employed in historically male-dominated occupations in the construction industry.
CONTEXT The demand of equal opportunities is one of the main focus to improve as a society. However, the construction industry remains a predominantly male enclave, despite the efforts made to make it inclusive. Today, there are signs of a cultural shift in the industry and women can be found in high-skilled occupations, such as engineers or architects, being still scarce the percentage of women working on construction-site (9% average UE). What are the real obstacles to women entering and remaining in different construction occupations? Some individual, market and social difficulties have been identified: *Intrinsic barriers: women don’t see themselves as construction workers. *Labour market barriers: low recruitment of women; poor visibility of women's professionals. *Sectoral barriers: sector's inability to attract women and young people. In addition to above blockades, it could be also mentioned the inappropriate provision of training, as well as employment and working conditions, which also determine the male-oriented shape of the construction industry. OBJECTIVES In order to contribute to overcome the barriers explained above, Women can Build tries to re-envision the vocational training towards an equal construction industry by achieving the following objectives: *To provide gender-oriented measures to main actors involved. *To enhance women sensitivity towards this sector. *To re-envision the training focus approach in VET providers and trainers. *To establish guidance measures to enterprises towards a gender awareness-raising and balance. ACTIVITIES Various activities have been carried out to achieve project's objectives and contribute to remove existing barriers to women's access to the construction sector: 1. VET trainers' overview on gender-equality status quo and gender-sensitive MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) 2. Learning by-doing: immersive experience for women to attract women to the construction sector 3. Role models/testimonies of women in construction sector, as a fundamental element to change social imaginary 4. Guidelines for VET centres to provide a training offer better addressed to women 5. Definition of an action plan for companies to encourage the recruitment of women in the sector 6. Dissemination actions for awareness raising (social networks, events, media, etc.) PARTICIPANTS The project has addressed 4 direct target groups and 1 indirect: 1 Women: testimonies and course (100+43) 2 Trainers of construction sector: survey and MOOC (500+90) 3 VET centres: survey (292) 4 Enterprises: survey (60) 5 Stakeholders and society in general: dissemination (4.187.174) All in all, we have addresed 1.085 participants directly benefited by project activities, as well as 4.187.174 potential recipients. METHODOLOGY The project has used a participatory methodology, aimed to target and involve, on the one hand main beneficiaries that have participated directly in the activities, and on the other hand relevant key players that provide feedback and endorse results. Also, the combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques has gotten the most out of different sources, allowing sound and supported conclusions and recommendations. Besides, the holistic approach of the project based on the three pillars recommended by the European Insitute for Gender Equality (EIGE), which are education, sensitizacion and dissemination, allows its transfer to others sectors alike and countries with similar difficulties. RESULTS *Provision of new educational approaches with a gender-oriented approach *Encancing access to training for all: MOOC for trainers and immersive training experience for women *Dissemination of inspirational stories of women in the sector (role models). *Awareness raising among constrution enterprises and sector in general for women recruitment *Favour social inclusion, especially the labour integration of women in the construction market *Valorisation of the construction sector and improvement of its social image. IMPACT The project has obtained a very high impact, with many relevant stakeholders interested in the project and its results and with many news and references on media (press, radio and even TV), as well as a lot of participation in dissemination events and professional fora. This high project’s impact within the sector and its organisations has been possible due to the presence of large and relevant VET providers, which are mainly formed by employers' associations and trade unions and/or public institutions. Moreover, the European dimension of action has fostered social innovation and impact at EU level exceeding the initial expectations. POTENTIAL LONG-TERM BENEFITS The findings may guide organisations to develop and implement policies, strategies and initiatives geared towards attracting, integrating, supporting and motivating women who are, or wish to be, employed in historically male-dominated occupations in the construction industry.