Glasgow Hires More Female Trade Apprentices Than Anywhere in Scotland

Across the country less than 1% of construction and craft trade apprentices are female. Glasgow is beating that trend thanks to City Building, where 5% of apprentices in trades such as plumbing and electrical work are women. One of Scotland's largest construction companies, it is actively recruiting female apprentices at schools and trades fairs. Entering a traditionally male career might seem daunting but City Building encourages female staff to mentor each other. For Priscilla McLeod, that mentoring role is just part of the job. She has been working with City Building for nearly 28 years, and was one of the first female electricians with the company.

The 44-year-old, from Castlemilk, said: "I became an apprentice aged 16 after the careers advisor at school suggested it would be a good thing for me with my aptitude for maths and physics.

"I said to him, 'But that's a man's job' – though I'd be furious if anyone said that to me now.

"When I started there were no other girls and I went into a yard at Nitshill with 600 men and me. It was pretty daunting and the responses ranged from letting me get on with things, too, 'what are you doing here?'

"Now if we take on a female apprentice they come out with me until they're a bit more skilled, and that helps them fit in a little easier."
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