Networks and Support for Women in Construction: Who to Talk To

‍‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​​​‌‍# Networks, support and organisations for women in construction

You're not on your own with this. There are a lot of groups now that exist specifically so you've got other women in your corner, plus some that can directly help with training, jobs and head-stuff, not just nice LinkedIn posts.

Quick rule of thumb: join at least one national and one local/online network so you've always got someone you can message who understands the job: it's worth more than most CPD courses.

1. Big UK-wide women-in-construction networks

NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction, UK & Ireland)

What they actually do:

• Run site visits, networking events, socials, industry seminars and personal development workshops across UK regions.
• Have regional groups (London & South East is the biggest, but there are regions covering the Midlands, North, Scotland, Wales and Ireland) so you're not limited to London.
• Put on talks, panel events and socials where you can meet other women in all roles · trades, QS, engineers, PMs, lawyers.

Practical help:

• Good for building your network, finding mentors informally and hearing about roles and opportunities.
• Some regions organise site visits and CPD-style sessions that count for your development.

Best for: getting out of your own head, meeting other women who've dealt with the same grief, and widening your options beyond your current firm.

Women into Construction (WiC)

Not just a network, they're an employment and mentoring charity.

What they offer:

• Tailored support to help women into and within construction · including CV help, confidence-building, and job brokerage.
• Mentoring programmes · remote mentoring that matches women with volunteers from construction companies for regular 1-to-1 support.
• Employment programmes like the "Women into Home Building" 3-week course, run with the Home Builders Federation and major housebuilders:
  • 1 week online training about site management and home building.
  • 2 weeks on a live site doing placements and site visits.
  • Direct interviews / job matching with participating employers.
• They've supported 800+ women into jobs and work with big names across the UK.

Best for: if you want practical help into a job or a move up, not just a networking breakfast.

Chicks with Bricks

A not-for-profit network focused on connecting women across the construction supply chain.

What they do:

• Host four events a year (panels, debates, networking) bringing together around 150 women and men each time.
• Partner with The Prince's Trust to support young, disadvantaged women into construction, using any surplus to fund that work.

Practical help:

• Great for high-quality networking and visibility if you're aiming at management/leadership, and for getting inspired if you're earlier in your journey.
• Indirectly supports training and access for younger women through the Prince's Trust link.

Best for: if you're near London or can travel to big events and want to plug into a more senior/strategic crowd.

2. Campaigns, weeks and conferences you can actually use

Women in Construction Week (WIC Week)

Originally a US thing via NAWIC, but now widely picked up in the UK.

What happens:

• A week of events (online and in person) like virtual coffee chats, site tours, panel talks, career stories, and mentoring sessions.
• Lots of UK employers, trade bodies and shows (like UK Construction Week, London Build) run Women in Construction strands, breakfasts and networking during or around WIC Week.

How to use it: treat it as your excuse to get out and meet people, block a day to attend one or two events, talk to employers who are putting themselves forward as "good" on this stuff, and swap details.

Conferences and specialist networks

• Women in Construction Conference · one-day events focused on "creating pathways to rewarding careers", with breakout networking.
• Women in BIM, Women in Property, Women in Rail etc. sector-specific networks you can plug into if your work overlaps (design, BIM, civils).

These can give you higher-level contacts and visibility, especially if you're moving into management, design or specialist roles.

3. Support with mental health and the day-to-day grind

Mates in Mind

Not a women-only group, but very relevant if site culture is grinding you down.

• A construction mental-health charity working with big contractors to break the silence and stigma.
• Provides toolbox talks, awareness sessions, training for mental health first aiders and resources for workers who are struggling.
• Big firms (Balfour Beatty, others) use Mates in Mind to train mental health first aiders and run "Listen, Support, Signpost" type initiatives.

Practical help:

• If your employer is part of it, you should have named mental-health contacts and better access to signposting.
• If they're not, you can still use the materials yourself and point your H&S team at it as an off-the-shelf way to improve things.

4. Industry bodies and employer initiatives

Build UK and CITB

• Build UK runs diversity and inclusion workstreams, publishes workforce data and good-practice case studies on attracting and retaining women · including flexible working trials, mentoring schemes and inclusive recruitment.
• CITB tracks women's participation in the industry. Recent stats show women are about 15% of the overall workforce, but only around 1% of site trades, with a growing share of female apprentices (15% of new entrants vs <10% a decade ago).

CITB's practical levers:

• Funding Employer Networks and projects that often include outreach to women, entry-level training, and mentoring.
• You mostly feel this via your employer · but knowing it's there helps you push: "Can we link in with CITB Employer Network X or programme Y that supports women/returners?"

Employer-led programmes

You're also seeing more big contractors run their own women's networks and returner schemes:

• Women into Home Building · collaboration between Women into Construction, the Home Builders Federation and nine big housebuilders, with a fully funded 3-week training and placement programme feeding directly into site management jobs.
• Large contractors (Balfour Beatty, ISG, Morgan Sindall, Willmott Dixon, BAM, etc.) often have:
  • Women's networks and internal mentoring.
  • Returnship programmes (often 12-week paid placements) for professionals and sometimes supervisors.
  • Commitments to flexible work and diversity targets that you can use as leverage.

Tip for new starters When job-hunting, check if an employer has a women's network, returner scheme, or flexible-working pilot, it's a strong sign they'll back you when things get tough.

5. Local and online networks (not just London)

You don't have to be in Zone 1 to find your people.

• NAWIC has regional groups · London & SE, but also Midlands, North, Scotland, Wales and Ireland · each with its own events and socials.
• Women into Construction runs projects around the UK, partnering with local councils, training providers and contractors (for example, homebuilding cohorts in different regions).
• Local councils and LEPs often host Women in Construction breakfasts or panels as part of broader business events · you'll see these advertised via UK Construction Week, London Build, or regional business networks.
• On social media, there are active Women in Construction groups on LinkedIn and Facebook, plus region-specific groups (for example, "Women in Construction · [Region]", "Female Plumbers UK", etc.), where people share jobs, PPE tips, and vent safely.

It's worth joining at least one national and one local/online network so you've always got someone you can message who understands the job.

6. Using positive action and public projects to your advantage

The Equality Act's positive action provisions (sections 158–159) let employers and training providers take extra steps to encourage women into construction where they're under-represented, which they clearly are.

In practice that means:

• Women-only or women-focused training schemes and taster days (like Women into Home Building).
• Mentoring and leadership programmes aimed at women.
• Public sector clients (who have the Public Sector Equality Duty under s.149) baking diversity targets into frameworks and expecting contractors to show what they're doing on gender.

That's why you see so many women's initiatives tied to big council, housing and infrastructure projects, the clients are pushing for it, and you can ride that wave.

What to do next

• This week: join NAWIC (or at least follow them on LinkedIn) and sign up for the next regional event near you · even if it feels awkward, one evening is enough to realise you're not the only one.
• If you want practical help into a job or back after a break: contact Women into Construction and ask about their mentoring and employment programmes.
• If site culture is getting to you: look up Mates in Mind and check if your employer is part of it · if not, suggest it to your H&S manager as a ready-made toolkit.
• When you're job-hunting: check whether the employer has a women's network, returner scheme, or flexible-working pilot · it tells you a lot about whether they'll actually support you.

Sources

• NAWIC UK & Ireland · regional structure, events programme and membership information.
• Women into Construction · mentoring programmes, Women into Home Building course details, 800+ women supported into jobs.
• Chicks with Bricks · event format, Prince's Trust partnership, not-for-profit model.
• Mates in Mind · mental health charity for construction, toolbox talks and employer partnerships.
• Build UK · diversity and inclusion workstreams, workforce data and flexible working case studies.
• CITB · women's participation data (15% workforce, ~1% site trades, 15% new apprentices), Employer Network funding.
• Equality Act 2010, Sections 149, 158–159 · legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents · Public Sector Equality Duty and positive action provisions.
• Women into Home Building · HBF collaboration, fully funded 3-week programme.
• STEM Returners · 12-week paid return-to-work placements.
• Timewise · flexible working pilots in construction.

Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email us at hello@kilnguides.co.uk.

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