Picture for City College Brighton and Hove Apprenticeships
Picture for City College Brighton and Hove A Levels
Picture for City College Brighton and Hove Full time Courses

News

Picture for City College Brighton and Hove Business Open Event
Picture for Adult Funded Courses 2012

Role Model Faye Backs New Initiative for Women in South

20 May 2005

25 year old production line engineer Faye Banks is a truly inspirational role model. Turning her back on years of neglect and abuse she has rebuilt her life and gone from strength to strength. At 16 she left school without any qualifications and it looked like her life would always be a struggle. She gained unskilled employment working on a production line at a local company, but soon became frustrated and decided to go back to college and study engineering. This decision dramatically turned her life around. Faye, who works for Lever Faberge, was awarded the prestigious title 'Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award 2004'. She will be speaking at the launch of TechNet, a new initiative launched in conjunction with City College Brighton and Hove to involve and support women in male-dominated industries such as engineering, construction, science and computing technology - areas where women often find themselves isolated. The event is at Brighton's Clarendon Centre on Wednesday May 25th.

With hard work and determination Faye has built up a reputation as an accomplished engineer with a string of qualifications and awards to her name. She was head-hunted by Lever Faberge in 2003, who were eager to put her skills into practice in order to bring their deodorant production line up to world class standard. Now, working on behalf of the NSPCC she hopes to help children, by telling her story and helping them to believe that they too can achieve similar success. She has also looked to dispel the myth that engineering is only for those who are physically strong. 'It's about knowledge' she explains.

Faye Banks

Faye Banks

Working with City College and other local educational establishments, TechNet is a new and totally unique initiative especially for girls and women in Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of White. TechNet will create a network of information, professional support and social contact for women in industry. Technet was set up by JIVE, an organisation which works to improve access, information, teaching and learning and career opportunities for women funded by the EQUAL initiative of the European Social Fund.

The TechNet launch is at The Clarendon Centre, New England St. Brighton on 25th May 2005, 2.30 - 6.30pm. Sandi Rhys Jones OBE of the Strategic Forum on Construction will also be speaking.

For further information, please call Brian Bell, Marketing Communications Officer, on 01273 667788 Ext. 488 or email bb1@ccb.ac.uk

Notes to Editors:

About City College Brighton and Hove: Founded over 100 years ago, City College Brighton and Hove has become an international centre of excellence. Every year over 2000 full-time and 13,000 part time students as well as many international and European students choose City College as their education provider. Offering over 650 courses from basic level to pre-University level, City College is working with its partners to develop the workforce of the future.

About JIVE: JIVE has trained local college, school and HEI base co-ordinators and mentors to help bring women together at local events; to co-ordinate and support mentoring relationships; to identify and encourage local role models; and to give advice on widening participation. JIVE has been delivering free professional development events for learning providers and careers professionals tailored towards widening participation for women in these highly segregated areas over the past three years. The JIVE Consortium has set up the UK Resource Centre for Women in SET funded by the DTI. Contact Ann Clark, JIVE South East Administrator on 01865 741317 or e-mail aclark@owts.org.uk for further information.