Awards Programme Celebrates Women In The Construction Industry

Industry bodies play a vital role in these efforts, driving the direction of the construction sector. With this in mind, the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb) created an awards programme – inaugurated in 2020 – which celebrates and encourages women in the construction industry.

The Empowerment and Recognition of Women in Construction (ERWIC) Awards 2020 was met with great success, and achieved its goal of showcasing female-led projects and achievements in the sector. The awards programme is set to take place again this year, with entries open from 7 June to 16 July 2021, with the awards ceremony following in August – “Women’s Month”.

The aim of the awards is to encourage excellence among women and commitment among stakeholders to support women in their professional growth and development. Through the ERWIC Awards, the cidb also aims to promote role models for women in lower grade construction categories, and motivate women in the higher grades.

The awards also recognise entities and individuals who support gender transformation and mentorship of women within the industry. This year there are twelve categories:

1. Project Delivery Excellence of the Year
2. Rural Project of the Year
3. Mentoring Entity of the Year
4. Transformation Entity of the Year
5. Innovative Entity of the Year
6. Business Resilience of The Year
7. Youth-owned Woman Construction Entity of the Year (aged 35 and younger)
8. Woman-owned Construction Entity of the Year
9. Woman Mentor of the Year
10. Women with Disability Contractor of the Year
11. Exceptional Woman in Construction Contributor of the Year
12. Chairman’s Award

Notably, the Business Resilience of The Year award aims to recognise the entity that showed resilience, agility and adaptability in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information and to enter the awards visit www.erwicawards-cidb.co.za.