‘Anything a boy can do, a girl can do better…’ – the Holy Cross girls learning to be builders, joiners and plumbers.
We were delighted to be featured in the Irish News this week, highlighting our work with the incredible pupils of Holy Cross Girls’ Primary School as part of our #NotJustForBoys programme. The article shines a spotlight on our mission to break down gender barriers in trades, showcasing how young girls are gaining hands-on experience in plumbing, joinery, and construction—proving that these careers are for everyone.
For P7 pupil Fíadh, the programme has been truly inspiring:
“After the first class, I was really excited to tell my Daddy what I’d learnt, and he let me use some tools to help him build furniture at home. My sisters are in P6, and after seeing what I can do, they hope these classes will be running next year for them too.”
#NotJustForBoys is WOMEN’STEC’s youth programme. It aims to increase awareness amongst young females of the wide array of career opportunities available to them in sectors where women are typically underrepresented, such as construction or transport.
Statistics show that girls typically choose traditionally viewed female career paths such as hairdressing, beauty or childcare. Salaries linked to these professions are generally lower, employment less secure, and progression opportunities limited. This compares unfavourably to traditional male professions such as those in construction or engineering where salaries are higher and there are more opportunities for career progression.
The work with Holy Cross Girls Primary is part of our Building Girls project funded by the National Lottery Awards for All grant. With their support we’ve been able to expand these sessions to reach even more schools. Our #NotJustForBoys Coordiantor, Claire, explains:
“This National Lottery funding is allowing us to expand the number of sessions we can provide to schools so we can really embed these practical skills.”
Find out more about the funding at tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or contact the National Lottery Community Fund at enquiries.ni@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or 028 9055 1455. More about WOMEN’STEC at womenstec.org
You can read the full article here.
