Construction For Women at UKREiiF: A Day of Growth, Connection, and Opportunity

As a charity partner of UKREiiF, Construction For Women was thrilled to bring over 150 women to this year’s forum for a dedicated Professional Development Day — an event that celebrated ambition, learning, and connection across the built environment.

About UKREiiF — Shaping Investment & Regeneration

UKREiiF (the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum) has quickly established itself as a leading annual platform for bringing together investors, public-sector leaders, developers, local authorities, and practitioners across real estate, infrastructure, regeneration, and placemaking.

Held over three days in Leeds, UKREiiF hosts a major conference, pavilion exhibits, fringe events, networking programmes, and deal-making forums—all designed to drive collaboration, investment, and sustainable growth across UK cities and regions.

By partnering with UKREiiF, Construction For Women was able to offer this opportunity free of charge to participants, giving access to delegate tickets and experiences valued over £1,195 each.

Connecting Women with Opportunity

Our Professional Development Day brought together a diverse cohort: female students (college/university level), apprentices, and early-career professionals. With nearly 200 sign-ups and over 150 attendees on the day, the turnout was a powerful testament to the demand for development, support, and representation in the industry.

Participants were immersed in a full day of structured sessions, CPD training, and curated networking opportunities. Supported by dedicated Construction For Women mentors, the women had access to:

• Industry experts, senior leaders, and employer representatives

• Learning workshops designed to enhance professional skills

• One-to-one mentoring conversations

• Expanded networks and exposure to potential career paths

One tangible outcome: every attendee was formally inducted into the Construction For Women network and matched with a dedicated industry mentor for a full year—ensuring the value of the day continues long after the event itself.

Impact in Numbers and Value

This initiative is more than a single event — it’s a long-term investment in women’s careers and in the industry’s future. Through the event and the mentorships following, the programme is projected to generate over £1.2 million in social value, as measured by Loop’s National Social Value Standard Framework.

The ripple effects are far-reaching: confidence, connections, professional development, and visibility—all contributing to better gender diversity in the built environment.

Voices from the Day

Renée Preston interview with UKREiiF

While the technical sessions and networking were key, the emotional resonance of the event stood out. Many participants described how rare it was to be in a room full of women pursuing construction and engineering careers. Some said they had never before considered that pathway until seeing people like them on stage or in conversations.

“It’s one thing to learn about pathways—seeing people who look like me doing them is another,” one participant reflected. For many, the exposure to mentors, peers, and industry leaders provided clarity and renewed ambition.

Looking Forward

This Professional Development Day at UKREiiF was not just a day’s event—it was a launchpad. As these women pursue mentorships, deepen their networks, and develop professionally, they carry forward the energy of that day into classrooms, job sites, and communities.

Construction For Women and UKREiiF together demonstrated how the built environment can be made more inclusive—not by chance, but by design. By placing women front and centre in a major industry forum, we affirmed that making space matters.

We are proud to be the bridge between opportunity and ambition—and we are committed to nurturing the talent that will drive the future of construction.