Challenge accepted! Girls’ Day 2022 encourages young women to consider a career in construction

For the past decade, VHTO has been responsible for organising Girls' Day. As a leader in gender equality, the organisation aims to improve women’s opportunities in fields related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We applaud this and have proudly taken part in Girls' Day for more than seven years. Cordeel Nederland always encourages girls to consider construction as a fascinating career option and looks forward to continuing its participation in the years ahead.

Following an online, nationwide kick-off, some 67 young women attended our headquarters in Zwijndrecht in two shifts. They learnt about our family business and received a general overview of the construction industry. Some of our female employees provided more detailed insight into our company. Attendees were then split into groups and challenged to build a tower out of paper using different solid forms. It had to be as high as possible and hold a weight of 100 grams for at least ten seconds.

We are committed to promoting gender equality. Our engineering department alone has benefitted from the skills and expertise of three female engineers. Marit Nijman, structural modeller at Cordeel Nederland, says: "Construction appeals to me because it combines creativity and function. Being a woman has never held me back in a male-dominated world."

In our experience, the initial trepidation we see during Girls’ Day always gives way to boundless enthusiasm. By providing girls with a good overview of the construction sector, we hope to inspire them to opt for more science-oriented, technology-based career paths.

Construction is a wonderful industry that offers diverse job opportunities with positions becoming increasingly innovative and digital. We believe women will make the difference in a tight labour market and help bring about a better world.