CIHT members have continued to engage in a range of activities promoting outreach to pupils, students and professional women in the sector.

 

CIHT educational and diversity related initiatives include promoting the role of STEM Ambassadors; creating an Innovative Women in Transport and Engineering Exhibition in Birmingham; recognising best practice professionalism and diversity through the CIHT Awards 2018 and encouraging members to sign the CIHT Diversity & Inclusion Charter.  CIHT will also be developing additional Key Stage 2 Careers Activity for pupils ages 7-11 with a grant from the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund later this year. 

 

Sue Percy, Chief Executive, CIHT said:

 

CIHT Actively encourages members to become STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network) Ambassadors working with schools, colleges and employers to encourage young people to achieve their potential in STEM subjects across the UK.  The STEM Ambassadors Programme is a 30,000-strong network of volunteers, all with a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Maths. To become a STEM Ambassador, CIHT members can register online at https://db.stemnet.org.uk and select the area of the UK where they will volunteer. Once you are an approved STEM Ambassador, contact CIHT to receive your own copy of the CIHT Interactive Careers Toolkit.

CIHT West Midlands has been active in promoting the role of early education to encourage girls to consider careers in transportation. The CIHT sponsored  exhibition Innovative Women in Transport and Engineering aimed at Key Stage 2 pupils features case study examples of CIHT members in the industry and is on till Sunday 30 September at the Birmingham Science Museum.

Judges in the CIHT Diversity & Inclusion Award category recognised ‘Inclusion at Amey’ as the winner with a “Well thought through series of Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, with clear support from senior management and benefiting from a good choice of external partners.” The judges were impressed by “the organisation’s energy and momentum in its approach to D & I.”  

 

CIHT’s Young Professional Award 2018 went to Nicola Blaney, Senior Engineer, CH2M Scotland.  The judges applauded her work mentoring and supporting students: “A key focus for Nicola is supporting and encouraging students who are studying courses leading to a transportation career. She is a member of Strathclyde University Industry Advisory Board, providing a link to industry, ensuring courses are relevant and offering opportunities to graduates.”

CIHT has 50 organisations signed up to the CIHT Diversity & Inclusion Charter. Signatories to this Charter believe that a commitment to diversity and inclusion is essential to reflect the communities we serve.  It makes business sense because it helps us to attract and retain the best talent, it enables us to understand and meet clients’ needs more effectively and so provide a better quality service. CIHT has developed a suite of career materials and guidance including a Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit which provides a route map to success. The toolkit contains case studies showing what employers are doing to recruit people from a more diverse pool read more hear