NICEIC is once again looking to help more women into the electrical industry through its Jobs for the Girls Bursary Scheme.
The bursary offers grants to women already working as an electrician or those looking to get a helping hand at the start of their career.
It is open to females of all ages and can help cover training or other associated costs up to a maximum of £500. Last year, NICEIC provided £5,000 of funding to more than 20 women.
Paul Collins, Communications Manager at NICEIC, commented: “The bursary aims to help more women into the electrical industry, which is still massively under-represented by females.
“Our research suggests that just one in every 100 electricians is female. We want to improve on that figure.
“Through this bursary, we can offer practical and financial support to create a smoother route into that sector.
“If we can help out those women who are just starting out or inspire others who might be thinking about a career in the electrical industry then we will be well on the way to addressing the gender imbalance directly.”
One of those to benefit from a bursary last year was 41-year-old Amanda Pugh from Buckinghamshire. She used the funding to set up a website for her business Amanda Electrics.
She said: “I was just starting out on my own and, although I had help with some of the training, and was fortunate enough to have a good amount of tools, I still had to pay for additional courses, books, registration, insurance, website fees, business cards, work clothing and other tools.
“The set-up costs were more than I anticipated but the bursary from the NICEIC helped offset some of the costs and meant I was able to start making money from my work sooner.”
Applications for the bursary will need to be in before the closing date of April 30th. A panel of judges will then review all applications before notifying successful applicants.
For more information and how to apply, visit: www.niceic.com/jobsforthegirls/bursary
