Construction industry has a diversity problem. For example, in Albania girls and women make less then 15 percent of the work force, but across Europe the numbers are not positive either. Despite progress across many industries, construction remains one of the most gender-segregated sectors in Europe. Women are still far less likely to land technical or site-based roles, far less likely to move into leadership, and far too often face invisible barriers that push them out before they ever get the chance to thrive.
That’s not just a fairness issue. It’s a sector-wide problem — and it needs a real solution.
The Women Empowered in Construction (WEC) project has just launched a brand-new training curriculum: “Promoting Gender Equality, Professional Competence and Entrepreneurship for Women in the Construction Sector.”
Backed by the Erasmus+ of the European Union and developed by CRCA Albania and WEC partners from across Europe, the new curriculum is designed with one clear goal in mind — making construction a place where women can enter, stay, and genuinely succeed.
The WEC curriculum is built around four solid modules:
The approach is hands-on and practical — think real-life case studies, group discussions, and reflective exercises rather than dry lectures. The idea is for participants to learn with each other, not just from a slideshow.
Europe’s construction sector is under real pressure. Labour shortages are growing, digital and green skills are increasingly in demand, and the industry desperately needs fresh talent and new perspectives.
Here’s the thing: diverse teams solve problems better. They’re more innovative, more resilient, and better equipped for the challenges ahead. Bringing more women into construction isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s a smart business move.
Yet stereotypes, unequal access to opportunities, and workplace cultures that weren’t built with women in mind continue to hold the sector back. The WEC curriculum tackles these barriers head-on, helping participants recognise them, name them, and work through them constructively.
The launch of the new training curriculum: “Promoting Gender Equality, Professional Competence and Entrepreneurship for Women in the Construction Sector” is a major milestone and meaningful step forward for the WEC project — and for the wider conversation about what the future of construction should look like. While another project partner is working to make the curricula available online, the next step of the project will focus on holding training courses that will test the curricula modules among vocational training providers, VET training centres etc.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
