The Natural Stone Industry Training Group in conjunction with Stone Federation Great Britain has launched a new initiative to highlight the roles and training needs of women in the stone sector. The Group is called WINS – Women In Natural Stone.

Claire Wallbridge, the Training Officer of the Natural Stone Industry Training Group (NSITG) says the women’s group was launched in time to mark International Women’s Day on 8 March.

The WINS initiative was encouraged by what Claire describes as the tremendous support the NSITG received for its National Apprenticeship Week events in February.

It was partly in response to enquiries received during Apprenticeship Week that the new WINS group has been formed. 

WINS membership is open to people in companies that are members of the NSITG and/or Stone Federation.

“We will organise a first networking meeting in the spring to form an agenda for future initiatives,” says Claire.

“The focus will give a UK-wide network of support and highlight the on-going roles of women in natural stone.”

Claire says that although there are several excellent initiatives in the construction sector in general supporting women, which NSITG fully supports and contributes to, WINS is specifically focused on the stone sector. Details on how to join WINS coming soon.