We can鈥檛 change the experiences that young people鈥檚 parents may have had of construction, but the industry can show young people and their parents how it has changed and that many women enjoy challenging and rewarding careers, both on and off site.

And the resources used to try and encourage women into the industry also reach the 50% of parents who are women.

If Scottish 好色先生TV鈥檚 Douglas Fergus (Letters, 1 July, page 37) truly believes that this money could be better spent, perhaps he should consider the consequences to the long-term future of our industry. Construction needs more recruits in addition to a well-trained current workforce: if we do not attract the best candidates from school, regardless of their gender, then there will be no future for our industry at all.

Alison Ward, careers and education adviser, CITB-ConstructionSkills

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