A minority report: Engaging girls in quantity surveying

The paper details research and practice within a university unit that specialises in working to widen the participation of girls and women in the built environment. The team have significant experience in developing new and innovative approaches to this complex and longstanding problem. A recent project has worked in close partnership with an employer seeking to address recruitment problems in Quantity Surveying by funding a short course for young women from a group of schools that could provide a direct means of recruitment to the company and sponsorship to study Quantity Surveying. The paper explores the aspects of course design and content and analyses the views and experiences of those girls who took part in the course, many of whom had not even visited a university prior to the course. The impact of one off and sustained interventions are explored. The findings offer a useful and sensitive way forward to course teams who want to make young women aware of opportunities in and aspects of built environment courses and careers by working in partnership with employers.