For the ninth year, we were proud to welcome NAWIC North East and Tees Valley back to Hartlepool College this week, as Year 9 girls from Hartlepool schools took part in our Design and Build challenge and met the women helping shape the future of construction here in the North East and beyond.
Each year, the event gives female pupils from Hartlepool schools the chance to see the construction industry from a different perspective through hands-on activity, industry insight and direct contact with women already working in the sector. It is a partnership that continues to challenge stereotypes, raise aspirations, and show young people that construction offers far more opportunities than they may first expect.
At the centre of the day was the Design and Build competition, which asked pupils to work together, think creatively and respond to a live brief. The challenge has become a key part of the event over the years, giving students the chance to develop ideas, solve problems and present their thinking in a practical and engaging way. Previous Hartlepool College coverage has shown how the competition brings together teamwork, budgeting, design thinking and sustainability, all rooted in the real demands of the industry.
We also want to congratulate Tunny Girls’ Group from High Tunstall School, who were crowned the overall winners of the 2026 Design and Build Competition (pictured above). Their success was a brilliant example of the creativity and problem-solving this event is designed to inspire, and it was great to see their ideas and effort recognised on the day.
One of the most powerful moments from this year’s event came through Amelia Ward. Having first attended the event as a school pupil in 2019, she returned to Hartlepool College yesterday as a mentor, helping to inspire the next group of young women considering a future in construction. Amelia completed a HNC Building Studies Hartlepool College and now works as a Site Manager with HMH Civils, making her return a real full-circle moment and a powerful example of the long-term impact this event can have.
We believe that when young people see successful women building careers in the industry, the sector begins to feel achievable and open to them. NAWIC plays a key role in facilitating this process of positive representation, inspiration, and support.
As John Cartwright, Head of Construction and the Built Environment, said: “It is events like these which encourage girls to consider future careers in the industry and promote gender equality and diversity across the construction industry.”
From the energy and ideas shown by the pupils taking part, to Amelia’s return as a mentor, the day was a reminder of why this event continues to matter. Nine years on, the Design and Build Challenge is still helping young women from Hartlepool schools see that construction is not an industry they have to stand outside of. It is one they can step into, shape and lead.
