Agenda item

This report provides an update to the Housing Scrutiny Commission on the delivery of the Women in Construction programme and the craft apprentice recruitment for 2024/25 and 2025/26.

The Head of Service presented the report, and it was noted that:

·       The report provided an update on Women in Construction and Apprenticeship Programmes within the Housing Division, delivered by Leicester City Council.

·       The Women in Construction initiative had been run in partnership with Leicester College for over 20 years and took place annually in February.

·       In 2024, for the first time, an additional Women in Construction Week was held at the Council's Construction Training Centre of Excellence (CTCE) to increase uptake by delivering the programme across two weeks and two venues.

The programme aimed to:

o   Challenge outdated stereotypes that trades were only suitable for men.

• Showcase the Council’s qualified tradeswomen, many of whom had progressed through the apprenticeship route.
• Demonstrate the Council’s leadership in diversity and inclusion within its trade’s workforce, which had received national recognition.
• Provide a supportive environment for women of all ages to try different trades, build confidence, and develop skills for use at home and in work.
• Promote and encourage applications for trade apprenticeships.

·       The Council had historically offered 30 apprenticeship posts but increased this to 40 last year and then to 50 for the current year, starting in September, which was ahead of many similarly sized local authorities.

·       The Council expanded its partnerships beyond Leicester College, now also working with:

o   Stephenson College

o   Smart Gas (gas apprenticeships)

o   Langley’s (roofing apprenticeships, addressing a key skills gap)

·       The Women in Construction initiative had traditionally been held during February half term, but recognising the challenges this posed for caregivers, an additional term-time session was delivered in March at CTCE.

·       The additional session proved very popular, with positive feedback received, and plans were in place to continue offering multiple sessions in future years.

·       130 women attended over the two-week programme, participating in sessions focused on carpentry, plumbing, tiling, and painting and decorating.

·       Most sessions were led by female operatives, although some male staff also participated to reflect the mixed-gender nature of the workforce.

·       Feedback highlighted increased confidence in practical skills and improved awareness of job opportunities within the Council.

·       Promotional work had been carried out via colleges, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), social media, and other local media outlets.

·       The Council had also begun engaging more with faith groups to better promote opportunities among women and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities, with plans to expand this approach.

·       In the previous year, the Council received 326 applications for its advertised apprenticeship vacancies. Of the successful applicants:

o   3 were BME candidates

o   3 were female

o   2 were LAC/Leaving Care candidates (LACs)

o   2 declared a disability

o   1 was from Leicester to Work

o   1 was from the Armed Forces community

·       All apprentices remained in employment, which was considered a significant achievement, particularly for care leavers who often faced personal challenges.

·       The Council continued to work closely with Children’s Services to both promote apprenticeship opportunities and ensure care leavers received sustained support.

·       Some care leavers had successfully progressed into permanent operative roles and were now actively promoting apprenticeships to other LACs.

·       Work would continue to improve opportunities -the next steps were:

o   Continue running multiple Women in Construction sessions annually.

o   Deliver programmes both via Leicester College and its own CTCE site.

o   Further develop outreach to faith and community groups, with a focus on increasing uptake from BME candidates.

In response to questions from members, it was noted that:

·       In Leicester, women made up 20% of those entering craftwork roles, significantly higher than the national average of just 1%, and twice the rate of comparable local authorities.

·       The Women in Construction (WIC) and apprenticeship programme traditionally targeted the 16-25 age group (a younger dynamic). However, recent cohorts have seen participation from a broader age range, including individuals in their 50s making complete career changes. This diversity was seen as a brilliant influence on the younger participants.

·       The team worked closely with schools and colleges to encourage participation from sixth form and GCSE students in the programmes.

·       The apprenticeship framework was designed to meet the needs of the council workforce. As such, there was a pathway for the apprentices to transition into permanent roles, provided they met the requirements.

·       The apprentices received guidance on development opportunities that had proved effective. Currently, there were three female supervisors in the craft workforce, 2 of whom came through the apprenticeship route.

·       A recommendation was made to include children with special educational needs in future apprenticeship programmes to enhance inclusivity.

Agreed:

1.    The commission noted the report.

2.    The application link for the apprentice recruitment programme was to be shared with members.