GIRLS learned about the building trade at first hand during a special ‘take your daughter to work’ day.

Girls aged 10 to 16 were supervised by skilled trades’ professionals during their visit to the Incommunities construction training centre.

They had a go at joinery and basic plumbing, and also had fun building wooden table top holders, pencil cases and toys.

The youngsters were all daughters or relatives of female staff with the housing group, which manages Keighley and Bradford’s former council houses.

The young girls were also given a presentation on the theme of International Women’s Day 2017 – ‘be bold for change’ – and the importance of realising your ambitions.

Fourteen-year-old Maddie Robertshaw from Wilsden, went along to the taster event with her step-mum, Helen, who works in the group’s human resources department.

Maddie said: “It’s been great day and I’ve learnt lots about building work.

“The best fun was making a wooden rabbit and learning woodworking skills with one of the woman apprentices.”

Jez Lester, Incommunities’ assistant chief executive in asset management, said the company was committed to encouraging everyone, male and female, reach their potential and build successful careers.

Jez said: Through events like this we want to open up the world of work to young people and construction is one area where it would be great to see more women take up professional careers.

“Hopefully, it will encourage some of our younger generation to take their first steps towards an eventual career in construction!”

As part of International Women’s Day, on March 8, Incommunities’ Equalities Group will organise an information session for staff and invite them to make a ‘pledge for parity’ for women and girls.

Last year, as part of International Men’s Day, the housing group also held a ‘lads and dads’ event to encourage more young people to get a ‘taste’ of working in construction.

Incommunities Group has over 22,600 homes in West and South Yorkshire.

It is the biggest social landlord in the Bradford district.

International Women’s Day has this year adopted the theme #BeBoldForChange to encourage people to forge a more gender-inclusive working world.

Last year, organisers and individuals supported the #PledgeForParity campaign to help women and girls achieve their ambitions, challenge bias, call for gender-balanced leadership, and value women and men’s contributions equally.

The World Economic Forum predicted the gender gap will not close entirely until 2186, so organisers developed the latest campaign to drive faster change for women.

A spokesman said: “Through purposeful collaboration, we can help women advance and unleash the limitless potential offered to economies the world over.”