Success in workshops for women in manual skills

Dozens of women in the Islington Borough were invited last week to join the first of a series of workshops that can empower women and potentially help them to find new career paths.

The North London authority is indeed running a number of free, hands-on workshops where unemployed women can learn useful manual skills, like plumbing and basic electrics.

Last Tuesday local residents had the opportunity to become plumbers for a day and learned manual valuable plumbing skills, like fixing a broken toilet.

On Tuesday 9th, the workshop will focus on learning how to fix basic electrical problems while the week after the Islington residents will find out how to drill safely.

The workshops are part of a wider scheme that aims to help local women to learn new valuable skills and potentially apply for an apprenticeship in construction with Islington Council’s Repairs Team starting from next September.

Charmaine Brouard, spokesperson for the Islington Council, said: “Everyone has really enjoyed it, we had great reactions. Women felt empowered by learning and they think they might apply to the apprenticeship. Possibly it is a great way to help them.”

She also added that she hopes the workshops will continue over the long term.

Local women also had the opportunity to meet successful female experts from the industry.

The workshops are currently held every Tuesday at the Andover Community Centre while next month they will take place at the 3Corners Learning Centre.

All unemployed or low income women with no degree or not qualified to a level 4 NVQ are invited to join.