2012 training for women builders

Women must benefit from the boom, Mr Johnson will say

Some £20m will be spent on training more women to work in construction leading up to the 2012 Olympics, the education secretary will announce.

The London games will create thousands of design and construction jobs and women should benefit from the boom, Alan Johnson will say.

Cash to aid women in finding work in areas of shortage was promised by Chancellor Gordon Brown in the budget.

The Department of Education decided to spend the money in London.

"There is no reason at all why women's involvement in the games should be restricted to watching, participating and achieving in the stadium," Mr Johnson will say in a speech to the Institute of Directors.

"They should be involved in designing and building them as well."