Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of private and public sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been recognised for its work in inspiring women to consider a career in engineering or construction. The Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering Awards 2024 credited Winvic as ‘Highly Commended’ in the Excellence in Outreach category.
Winvic’s Social Value, HR and Learning and Development teams work closely on initiatives and identifying opportunities. Focusing on collaboration leads to reaching more people and achieving more meaningful results and the whole Winvic team and subcontractors get involved with educating and mentoring young people. Passionate female employees are crucial in the quest to attract more women into the industry and numerous Winvic team members act as inspirational role models and showcase the breadth of construction roles. 
As well as site visits and introducing students to a construction site, Winvic also focusses on enhancing employability skills. Successful repeated activities include Speed Careers Networking and Mock Interview activities, alongside attendance at STEM, Careers and Apprenticeship Fairs. Nevertheless, the Winvic team is always striving for innovative ways in which to address challenges, and by working alongside education providers new initiatives were imagined and delivered.
The five-day Winvic Enrichment Programme – which is already an award-winning initiative – allows college students already undertaking a construction related qualification to gain a greater depth of information. The on-site interactions showing a range of roles facilitate more informed career decisions and increases the likelihood of the students working in the industry or going on to obtain a further construction qualification. 63 students over five cohorts have been inspired to date and two more programmes will have been delivered with three colleges by the end of November.
A STEM after school club was also conceived with Northampton Academy and this is another successful outreach blueprint that is ready to roll out with other secondary schools. 12 Winvic team members delivered seven sessions to provide students from years seven to 11 with a greater depth of information about STEM related careers in construction, including engineering, project management, BIM and quantity surveying.
Kayleigh Merritt, Winvic’s Talent Development Manager, said: “Building relationships with schools, colleges and universities is crucial in us being able to understand students’ needs and tailoring activities, and I’m very proud of our successful collaborations. Our whole team is on board with educating and upskilling young people. The Winvic Enrichment Programme has gone from strength to strength but what’s important is the feedback from students and how it’s making a difference to their career paths. This commendation of our work which inspires young women – and young men – means a lot and propels us to come up with more exciting ways to promote construction careers.”
Emma Alderman, Winvic’s CSR Manager, added: “It’s great to be recognised for our careers outreach work, which inspires the next generation and meets local needs through a tailored approach. This commendation is for the whole Winvic team – including our supply chain partners – who volunteer time to engage with students at all levels. Collaboration is also crucial to ensure we’re leaving a positive legacy in the local communities in which we work. We’re always looking at new programmes and initiatives to support students and communities and showcase the range of construction careers. While it’s rewarding to be delivering these programmes nationally, seeing the impact on individuals’ careers and lives is what I’m really proud of.”
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