A new female talent retention scheme has been launched to tackle the skills crisis and improve gender balance across Scotland’s construction, property, and energy sectors.
The Circle Academy, which is already making an impact in England, is a 12-month talent development programme targeting mid-level women, the age and stage where research shows the greatest drop off. The programme is intended to provide women with the skills, confidence, and connections to stay and thrive in their roles.
Female leaders from organisations including EDF, Artus, SSE, Brodies, Rettie, Shoosmiths, and Thomas & Adamson, who will be acting as mentors for the scheme, came together for a dinner at The Citizen to celebrate the programme’s launch in Scotland and build peer connections. This was followed by a breakfast event at The Exchange, hosted by Women in Property Scotland in collaboration with The Circle Partnership.
Ceri Moyers, co-founder of The Circle Partnership, said, “We’re excited to be bringing the Circle Academy to Scotland and have been hugely encouraged by the support shown from female leaders in terms of their willingness to mentor with us. We know that our programme is making a difference to the sector’s capacity and capability, and we want to bring that impact to Scotland, particularly in the face of all of the upcoming investment in the education and energy sector and the associated skills challenges this brings.”
The Circle Academy pilot, which will start in 2026, aims to address the primary barriers women face to progression at work and combines leadership training, a thought leadership summit, networking, and advocacy events and cross sector mentoring with senior female industry leaders.
Catriona Schmolke, CBE, FREng, added, “I’m delighted to be able to support The Circle Academy. It is a programme that I know I would have welcomed at an earlier stage in my career and one that I’m sure will make a real difference to our ability to retain female talent in our industry. Alongside the training itself, the impact of spending 12 months alongside women at a similar age and stage who are facing similar challenges will doubtless be very meaningful – when working as a minority in our sector, as women do, there’s nothing better than feeling understood and a part of something.”
In England, where the initiative has been running for five years, the Circle Academy is supported by organisations including Kier, Laing O’Rourke, CBRE, Berkeley Group, Ballymore, and WSP. Latest stats show the programme is making an impact, with alumni of the programme reporting increases in confidence, their ability to make an impact at work, and their likelihood of staying with their employer. The Circle Partnership estimate they have saved businesses over £2 million to date in recruitment fees through improved retention of female talent.
Applications for The Circle Academy 2026 are open now and close on 31 December 2026. The programme is open to all mid-level female talent in the built environment, engineering and energy sectors in both technical and operational roles. For any enquiries contact: info@thecirclepartnership.com.
