A pioneering programme of construction bootcamps in London is helping fast-track hundreds of women into skilled roles as demand for qualified plant operators continues to rise across the capital.

Delivered by The Skills Centre in partnership with skills charity NOCN Group, the bootcamps are designed to equip learners with the practical experience and industry-recognised qualifications needed to operate construction plant machinery safely and effectively.

Central to the programme is accreditation from the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS), a widely recognised standard that provides a clear pathway into employment in the construction sector. Learners completing the bootcamps gain both hands-on training and the certification required to begin work on site.

The training is delivered at The Skills Centre’s Earl’s Court facility – currently the only dedicated CPCS training site in London – giving learners access to specialist equipment and real-world operating environments in the heart of the city.

The bootcamp model, delivered multiple times throughout the year, is designed to remove barriers to entry into the industry by offering intensive, focused training that can quickly lead to job opportunities. Each year, hundreds of learners complete the programme, many progressing directly into roles supporting major construction projects across London and the south east.

By expanding access to CPCS-accredited training in central London, the partnership aims to ensure more people can take advantage of these opportunities – helping to build both the workforce and the city’s future infrastructure.

The latest female-centred bootcamp launched just after this year’s International Women’s Day. One of the participants was former farmer Charlie Lillington.

Charlie said: “I like driving machines and I think I’m good at it. I couldn’t be in an office. I love being active and being outdoors. I came to do this course and passed it – and now I want to progress onto other things.

“Everyone has a starting point. It’s a new industry for me but one that could give me the chance to have a stable life and earn enough to live. The cost of living was going up, but my wages weren’t.

“This has been a great opportunity. I’ve had great training and it shows what can be done when you’re good at something. If you don’t want to sit in an office all day, you can go and be the people building the office.

“I’d put the message out there to any woman, if you’re good at something, go for it. It is a male-dominated industry at the moment, but the more of us that join, the less it will be. There are more and more females coming into the industry.

“Obviously, it’s not every female’s dream, but I like it so much better than farming. It allows me to go home and rest at night and not be called out for lambing and not be working till 10 o’clock at night because it’s going to rain the next day and we’ve got to get the hay cut. It’s just what I need in my life.”

With construction activity continuing at pace across the capital, industry leaders say initiatives like these are playing a crucial role in addressing skills shortages while opening up new career pathways for local people.

Matt Strutt, Centre Director at The Skills Centre, said: “The most important thing is that we’re delivering training for local people. We work on big developments across the country and our passion is to get local people into sustainable employment on these big projects.

“This female bootcamp isn’t just about fairness. The industry has a huge skills gap and if we’re only fishing from half of what’s out there, we aren’t going to solve the shortage and problems we’re facing.”