Equal opportunities for women is one of the main aspects that must be improved in society. The construction industry has traditionally been a male sector, a condition that has been justified, among other issues, by the harsh conditions of work. However, the evolution of the sector towards greater mechanization makes it possible for men and women to access and execute the same professional tasks with equal rights and opportunities.
On the other hand, new jobs have been created thanks to activities derived from energy efficiency or ‘green’ constructions that offer an encouraging horizon for specialized professionals, women and men.
But the feminization of the construction industry encounters various difficulties:
- Intrinsic barriers: women do not see themselves as construction workers; there are no options for them or they are not able to do the work.
- Barriers to the labor market: there is the possibility that a job done by a woman is considered less professional by companies or clients.
- Barriers with their own colleagues.
Awareness raising
In short, it is about awareness raising and advocating for equal opportunities, improving the social conditions of the sector, promoting professionalization, through quality training; and promoting labor insertion, with the activation of the labor market.
The objectives that the Women can build project faces are the following:
- Make a paradigm shift in the construction sector, which is more egalitarian, attractive and socially responsible, through training.
- Remove cultural barriers and improve the sensitivity of women to this sector.
Erasmus+ Programme
Women Can Build project belongs to the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme, call 2017, of Key Action 2 on Cooperation for Innovation and Exchange of Good Practices; within the action line Strategic Partnerships in the field of Education and Vocational Training.
Project identification: 2017-1-ES01-KA202-038658.
- Capture the attention of women towards the construction industry, emphasizing those activities with more possibilities of achieving an effective insertion in the labor market.
- Provide Vocational Training centers (VT) with a gender perspective that allows them to rethink their training approach and look for opportunities for a more egalitarian sector.
- Establish advisory measures that facilitate the transition of the construction industry towards greater awareness and gender balance.
- Achieve the recognition of gender competencies and create the conditions that allow the realization of new programs with a better performance.