Women at the top in construction sector jobs
View(s):There’s really nothing that women can’t do – in the construction sector at least.
Holders in certificate of painting after the awards ceremony.
In a bid to strengthen the capacities of young women from all strata across the country, thirty-nine women were trained under the aegis of Women in Construction (WIC) Forum– Sri Lanka on painting (walls) skills.
“The intention was to train them to be skilled workers and to discourage them from leaving say to West Asia to become domestic workers,” Prof. Chitra Wedikkara, President WIC Forum-Sri Lanka told the Business Times.
She added that the first batch of these women who are from Kolonnawa, Kandana, Panadura areas, etc are employed now with big name construction firms. Some women painters are working on their own as painters.
She said that WIC-Sri Lanka hopes to train another 30 painters, 15 plumbers and 15 aluminium technicians within this year. “It’ll be one month of theory, a month of practical and another month of on-the-job training.”
The forum formed two years ago came alive as an idea by Prof. Wedikkara in order to network and discuss issues relating to the women in construction in Sri Lanka. WIC Forum-Sri Lanka, comprises leading women of Architecture, Quantity Surveying and Civil Engineering in the construction sector.
“WIC Forum-Sri Lanka Forum is created to empower women in construction of all classes from skilled to unskilled. Our main objective is to facilitate the entry of women into the construction industry by providing training and employment opportunities of women living in poverty that need support to protect their dignity and uplift the quality of life.
The main objective is to provide opportunities for professional development, education, networking, leadership training, public service and more for the women involved in the field from skilled to unskilled,” she said.
The uniqueness of establishing such a women forum is to help all women across the board to be trained, find suitable employment accordingly and be useful citizens as well as gives them dignity and uplift quality of life for their families as well, she added noting that such initiatives have a women’s charter designed to improve and protect rights of women in construction and to guarantee equality to women in the trade.
A certificate holder speaking at the certificate presentation.
“Also we are planning to train women in a trade skill and it would be helpful for them and the industry.
Trades indentified are painting, tiling, carpeting, landscaping, masonry, plumbing and aluminium work. Our target is to train at least 5000 women between age group of 20-40 years.”
She added that WIC Forum-Sri Lanka’s aim is to train 2000 women from underprivileged families from North and South in these fields this year (2017) and help find employment in the construction fields with the assistance of government and non-governmental organisations involved developmental activities for betterment of women throughout the globe.
She added that WIC Forum-SL would like to organise some training programmes in the North. “But as a voluntary organisation still we do not have sufficient funds on our own.
Therefore, we are looking out for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) who are willing to help to upgrade life of underprivileged women in Sri Lanka.
If we can join hands with such NGOs, we will be able to carry out an island wide programme to help these women to upgrade their quality of life and a better future for their children as well.”