Boosting the female intake in graduate recruitment

Chantelle Patterson, Emerging Talent Manager

• Challenges in the construction and engineering industries

• The Mace Journey

• Key drivers of increased gender diversity

• What next?

Industry Challenges

Only 1.9% of graduates want to work

in construction

18.5% less final year students made/planned to make

applications in engineering, property & surveying

14% of engineering

graduates are female33% of architecture, building & planning

graduates are female

Women make up 11% of

the construction industry

Construction is the least glamorous

sector to work in(TargetJobs Survey, 2014)

220,000 jobs to be created in

the next 5 years

Mace’s Journey

2013

2014

49 graduates

13% of

graduates

are female

2012

52 graduates

Improved

recruitment

process

22% of

graduates

are female

58 graduates

Gender diversity

agenda gains

momentum

Programme of work

to tackle the issue

What were the key interventions?

1) Non-cognate recruitment

2) Improved attraction campaign

3) Consistent non-discriminatory selection process

Non-cognate recruitment

• Invited applications from non-cognates

• Included technical training in the Graduate Development Programme

History and Politics

Geography

Business Management

Economics

Helen Cross

Assistant Project Manager

Psychology

Improved attraction campaign

1216

1614

3000

2014 2015 2016

Applications recevied

• Improved marketing materials and the Mace website

• Introduced graduate representatives at careers fairs

• Built stronger university relationships

• Investment in graduate job boards

Further Improvements in Selection Process

• Involved graduates in assessment centre design

• Female role models throughout selection process

• HR ensure consistency throughout the process

Mace’s Journey

2013

2014

49

graduate

positions

13% of

graduates

are female

2012

52 graduate

positions

Improved

recruitment

process

22% of

graduates

are female

58 graduate

positions

Gender diversity

agenda gains

momentum

Programme of work

to tackle the issue

34.4% of graduates

are female

2015

71 graduate

positions

Continued

programme of work

‘Women of the

Future’ programme

launched

32.4% of graduates

are female

Gender Diversity

13.0%

22.0%

34.4%32.4%

35%

27.5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

% of females in graduate intake

Mace Industry

What Next?

• Behavioural Change

– Challenging negative behaviour

– Unconscious bias training

– Reward and recognise positive behaviours

– Improve work-life balance - Flexible working

– Directors sponsoring high potential females

• Launch of Apprenticeships

• Working with schools to educate and change stereotypes

Working with schools

University of Durham Research

500+ 14-24 year olds

Teachers, Parents & Careers Advisors

CITB – 35% of careers advisors believe a career in construction is unattractive

“I do not think that a career in the construction industry is a good fit for the children I

advise”

Institution of Engineering & Technology – Only 7% of parents said that they would

encourage their daughters to become engineers