Now that the Poles are going home to start building stadia for Euro 2012, we're at risk of running short of plumbers and electricians. And we can't expect Pimlico Plumbers' centenarian Buster to last forever. So who's going to fill the gap, wire that plug, stick their finger in the dam? Women, that's who.
The government has announced plans to encourage young women to consider careers as plumbers and electricians, rather than taking the more traditional routes into hairdressing and childminding. According to skills secretary John Denham, "Nearly half of all apprentices are women, but ... we need more women to take up apprenticeships, especially in areas such as engineering and construction, to tackle current skills shortages".
Women took home seven out of 12 prizes at this week's national apprenticeship awards, with three of them coming from industries with a predominantly male workforce. The arrival of young women on apprenticeship schemes is adding an element of competition - male apprentices are keen not to be outshone by women, particularly in areas which were traditionally their preserve. Says Catherine Turner of JTL, which runs programmes to encourage women to consider careers in construction, "It's raising the standard, because the boys don't want the girls to beat them."
There has been a marked increase in the number of girls signing up for apprenticeships, with 30 starting plumbing courses in 2006-07, compared to 8 the previous year, and 81 opting to train as electricians the same year, a 125% increase on the previous year.
It will be interesting to see how the government goes about tempting girls to take the non-traditional route.
