Case Study: Occupational Segregation - Belfast City Council

The WINS Project – Women Into Non-Traditional Sectors – aims to attract more women into jobs like street cleansing, grounds maintenance, construction and driving. Belfast City Council leads the project through a partnership approach with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Translink, Construction Industry Training Board, Department for Employment and Learning, ICTU NI Committee, Training for Women Network, Women’s TEC, GEMS NI and Queen’s University. The project has been developed with the support of the European Social Fund under the Equal Community Project.

The project aims include:

• Conducting research across the partner organisations to find out why women remain under-represented in particular job types
• Piloting a pre-employment training and empowerment programme for 40 women
• Piloting employment tasters for these women which support the integration of women into non-traditional employment
• Providing training and support for partner organisations
• Challenging stereotyped perceptions among girls

Between January 2006 and July  2007 the project has put 59 women through 7 separate accredited training programmes. The training focused on getting the beneficiaries job ready and giving them the confidence to apply for work in areas where women are under-represented. It included customer service, health and safety, joinery and electrics, team working and other job specific training. A total of 92 accredited courses were attained by the trainees. 20 women have gone into employment, 3 have become self-employed and 7 are pursuing further training The remaining trainees have all reported improved levels of confidence, a more positive attitude towards re-entering the labour market, and enhanced skills

In early 2008 the project will be publishing a guide to implementing the WINS model of pre- employment training and work experience along with advice on establishing the business case for WINS type programmes.  A best practice guide on removing barriers to recruitment along with employer focused case studies and a formal project evaluation will also be available.  A final mainstreaming conference will be held in the Belfast Waterfront on 7th March 2008.