Leeds College of Building is celebrating the success of its ground-breaking Engineering students.

Today, Leeds College of Building (@WeAre_LCB) is joining others globally in supporting the International Women’s Day campaign 'Choose To Challenge' #ChooseToChallenge #IWD2021 The College has made great strides in pushing gender parity in construction. Female apprentices at Leeds College of Building have also grown from 33 in 2014 to 190 by 2020, an incredible 475% increase over 6 years.

The Transport team at Leeds College of Building (@WeAre_LCB) is celebrating the success of a unique training programme as the country marks National Apprenticeship Week (#NAW2021), taking place between 8 and 14 February 2021.

Leeds College of Building (@WeAre_LCB) and construction partner, BAM, are celebrating student diversity figures as they join the rest of the country in marking National Apprenticeship Week (#NAW2021), taking place between 8 and 14 February 2021. Since choosing Leeds College of Building as a training provider four years ago, BAM has significantly increased the number of female apprentices enrolled on their Level 4 programme. Construction management, site supervisor, quantity surveying, and civil engineering apprenticeships have risen from 20% to nearly 30% females, compared to just one in eight (12.5%) construction workers nationally (GMB, 2019).The apprenticeship programme is also nearly three times more ethnically diverse than recorded in the construction sector. Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) representation stands at 15% compared to less than 6% of construction workers nationally (ONS Labour Force Surveys). In 2020, apprentices across BAM Nuttall and BAM Construct were brought together for the first time as a combined college cohort after listening to the businesses’ needs. Around 40 BAM Nuttall and 12 BAM Construct apprentices attend Leeds College of Building each year, joining over 300 employed nationally by BAM. This merger enhanced inclusivity and collaboration across the organisations. BAM cites the inspiring diversity of staff in the Leeds College of Building lecturing team as of significant benefit to the Apprenticeship programme. Over the last decade, a focus on apprenticeships has resulted in a massive growth of the college’s technical and professional training and the team who deliver it.Today, the Faculty of Higher Education, Construction Design & Management at Leeds College of Building employs 30% female staff (out of a total of 56 staff). Female lecturers come from a wide range careers including architecture, civil engineering, quantity surveying, and transport planning. Among the role models is Nikki Davis, the first female Vice-Principal at Leeds College of Building.Chris Tunningley, Assistant Director in the Faculty of the Built Environment & Engineering Services at Leeds College of Building, said:

A Leeds College of Building Transport Planning Apprentice is elated after winning a national education award.