Women in BIM (WIB) is a not-for-profit membership group dedicated to advancing women’s careers through diversity, education and community, and as part of our commitment to development and growth, we have appointed Willow Williams into the role of Global Head of Education.

In this pivotal role, Willow will lead the development and delivery of innovative learning initiatives designed to empower women at all stages of their professional journey. WIB is known for its commitment to fostering inclusive growth and leadership opportunities and sees this appointment as a key step in expanding our impact across industries and communities worldwide.

With experience spanning digital infrastructure, data strategy and the built environment, Willow brings a strategic approach to her role as Global Head of Education. Her focus is on turning member insights into clear, tangible initiatives that strengthen skills and open pathways across the industry.

Speaking on her appointment, Willow shared: “This role is about clarity and impact. My focus is to shape an education strategy that is Member-led, globally consistent and regionally responsive. The signals we’re hearing, from confidence and presentation skills to leadership pathways and digital upskilling, are what will guide our outputs. Education at WIB should give women the tools and opportunities they need to thrive, wherever they are in their career.”

“We’re not just creating new learning opportunities — we’re shaping futures, building networks and ensuring every woman in our community feels seen, supported and equipped to thrive.”

Under her leadership, WIB plans to launch a new suite of learning tools tailored to the evolving needs of WIB’s diverse membership base. Willow has already made a great start and is focusing on leadership and shaping our global education strategy to ensuring everything we create is Member-led, grounded in lived experience and reflective of the diverse needs of our community worldwide.

Key Learning from the Women in BIM Mentor Scheme

Willow’s first wave of research provided critical insights, drawn from the Women in BIM Mentoring Scheme feedback, from aspiring Mentors, current Mentors and Regional Leads, revealed some clear themes:

Confidence and Presentation Skills: over 60% of Mentees requested support with building confidence, presenting effectively and finding their voice.
Leadership and Career Progression: Around one third are looking for guidance in moving into leadership roles or navigating transitions.
Digital Skills and BIM Upskilling: Strong appetite for structured pathways to keep skills relevant in a transforming industry.
Female Mentorship and Representation: Many women, particularly those who are the only female in their team, want access to female mentors and safe spaces for growth.
We also saw regional differences:

In the UK, the majority of requests from Mentees was for career development and presentation skills
In Europe,leadership, consultancy transition and networking were top of the list
In South America, there was greater demand for female mentors and a preference for group workshops/certificates
In Australia,confidence to speak out in male-dominated teams was requested together with a clear route for progression to leadership

All of this feedback will be used to develop new content for our Mentor Scheme Workshops program and what we offer for the Mentor Scheme in 2026.

Rebecca De Cicco, Founder and Global Chair for Women in BIM added: “Willow’s appointment signals WIB’s renewed commitment to delivering high-impact, accessible education that drives both individual advancement and systemic change. With a focus on accessibility, innovation and community engagement, the Global Head of Education role ensures that learning remains at the heart of our mission to advance equity, representation and opportunity for women across all areas of the digital built environment.”

With lots more to come, this is just the start of the new WIB Education Strategy. Also be sure to look out for new education-focused Women in BIM Live events, the first of which will be released soon, themed on The Hidden Curriculum.