Women are significantly underrepresented in the construction industry and attracting more female talent and achieving an accurate representation of women in all roles in the sector will have a greater positive impact. Identifying and attracting the best talent is always a challenge of recruitment. At CPI, vital modifications to their
Places for People Group has today launched a new initiative which will help young women establish careers in construction. The Group is actively encouraging applications onto its Women into Trades programme – an initiative born out of a commitment to diversity and inclusion. It will offer currently unemployed women aged 18-24 in
IT’S NO SECRET that the UK construction sector is suffering from a serious skills shortage, with a reported 182,000 new engineers alone needed each year to bridge the gap. Apprenticeships have been proven as a great way to combat this crisis and are becoming a serious option for all school
London Build has been celebrating women within the construction industry since 2015, hosting an annual Women in Construction networking attended by over 1,200 women working across all sectors – making it the UK’s largest meeting of Women in Construction. This free-to-attend session gives professionals the opportunity to learn from a
Sarah Toon is a specialist construction and architectural photographer based in Norfolk. With a lifelong interest in photography, after a decade working as a bookkeeper and practice manager for an accountancy business, Sarah decided to develop a new career as a professional photographer five years ago. Rather than following many other
Good news for industry equality; it has recently been announced that the quantity of women holding positions in the construction sector has recently risen to one of the highest figures since the establishment of records. Heralding a positive step forward in equality and diversity for the construction sector, the news
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Women are significantly underrepresented in the construction industry and attracting more female talent and achieving an accurate representation of women in all roles in the sector will have a greater positive impact. Identifying and attracting the best talent is always a challenge of recruitment. At CPI, vital modifications to their recruitment practices and channels have been carried out to ensure a wide demographic talent pool is reached. The number of female colleagues at CPI increased by five in 2021, which is an early positive indication of change in demographic. CPI are enthusiastic about opening up new career paths that women may not have thought of as viable options for themselves. They are delighted to have recruited their first female driver colleague and are proud to have supported an existing female colleague at Harlow through their driver academy to attain her HGV licence and take her place behind the wheel as part of the driver team. CPI have identified barriers in their own work environment that might prevent women joining the business. Welfare, changing and shower facilities have been upgraded to ensure that they are suitable for both male and female colleagues. CPI recognise that their colleague facilities need to be suitable for the demographic needed in the business and not simply the demographic that currently exists. The CPI range of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) clothing was initially based on a male design and sizing; however, the range of PPE has now been extended to ensure that it includes both male and female sizing and options for all relevant PPE requirements. Gender diversity within the construction industry is astonishingly low. According to The Guardian, women make up just 11% of the entire construction workforce. The construction industry is male-dominated, and as a result, professions associated with construction are less promoted to women, leading to extremely low levels of female employees entering the sector. Moreover, women that do wish to work in construction, are sometimes met with barriers to progression resulting in them abandoning construction as a career entirely and the loss of talent from the industry. CPI recognises that a diverse workforce leads to higher employee engagement, better decision making, and higher levels of productivity. A diverse workforce brings a range of fresh perspectives, leading to increased creativity and innovation. Perhaps most importantly, when people feel that they are welcome, accepted and valued team members, they do their best work, resulting in high levels of personal and professional fulfilment, which is why CPI believe in creating a more inclusive workplace. CPI is proud to champion its female colleagues, and the team is continually challenging their work practices to ensure an inclusive workplace is provided for all to support the ambitions in achieving an increasingly diverse and representative workforce.
Places for People Group has today launched a new initiative which will help young women establish careers in construction. The Group is actively encouraging applications onto its Women into Trades programme – an initiative born out of a commitment to diversity and inclusion. It will offer currently unemployed women aged 18-24 in six geographical locations, career opportunities within the Group’s affordable housing businesses. The initiative is being delivered by Places for People in partnership with not-for-profit training company Ixion, the Positive Transformation Group – which connects ethical businesses together – and Women into Construction (WiC). Cohorts will undertake an initial seven-week course, during which they will join Q&A sessions with female industry leaders, secure work experience, undertake online training, and be given a free toolkit to help them in their career pursuits. Debi Marriott-Lavery is Group Executive Director – Affordable Housing for Places for People and said: “The UK construction sector is still incredibly male-dominated, with females making up less than 16% of the workforce. I believe that through positive action we can redress the balance, giving young women the skills and training they need to start their career in construction. “This is an incredible sector to be a part of; within our Group we are creating and maintaining affordable homes in exciting new communities across the country. This is a great opportunity for young women to come and be a part of our journey, while also laying solid foundations for their future.” Upon their completion of the initial training programme, 12 graduates will be offered a two-year Level 2 Apprenticeship, working with Places for People Group’s construction repairs and maintenance departments. Following a performance-based review at the end of their apprenticeship, each candidate will then be offered a permanent position with Places for People. Trainees not moving onto the apprenticeship programme will also be supported long-term by Positive Transformation Group, which will help them find alternative training programmes. Kath Moore MBE, Managing Director of WiC said: “We are delighted to work alongside Places for People, a Group which shares our values and commitment to increase female representation in the construction sector. WiC is dedicated to changing the face of construction and is committed to developing new ways to support construction contractors to create lasting change in their businesses – this initiative is a great example of our work in action.” Dan Brown, Founder of Positive Transformation Group added: “Positive Transformation Group is committed to systemic positive change in society with a meritocratic, inclusive and diverse workforce being at the forefront of our vision for the future. Having the opportunity to create powerful collaborations for change with forward thinking industry leaders such as Places for People, HACT and Ixion, really brings this vision of the future to life.” The news comes as Places for People also announced it has signed the Plentific Women’s Trade Network Pledge to further demonstrate its commitment to women in the industry, by removing barriers and providing access to job opportunities, support and training. Debi concluded: “Our Group is committed to establishing a more inclusive organisation, and these are just some of the initiatives we are undertaking right now to help underrepresented groups establish careers. I am proud to announce the programme and look forward to welcoming our trainees in the coming weeks.” The Women into Trades programme will be offered to applicants in Leeds, Derby, Edinburgh, Preston, Huntingdon and Milton Keynes. Applications can be made now by visiting https://www.ixionholdings.com/current-opportunities/women-into-trades-traineeship-for-18-24-year-olds/
IT’S NO SECRET that the UK construction sector is suffering from a serious skills shortage, with a reported 182,000 new engineers alone needed each year to bridge the gap. Apprenticeships have been proven as a great way to combat this crisis and are becoming a serious option for all school leavers as Covid-19 makes higher education a decreasingly attractive option. With most apprenticeships rooted in STEM fields, another key action point when closing the skills gap is encouraging more diversity. The latest figures from the Women’s Engineering Society1 (WES) show that women make up just under 13% of the engineering workforce and just less than 18% of higher apprentices in the engineering and manufacturing sector. This is something Zoe Fittock and Angelina Stankovic, both trainee apprentices at national M&E consultancy Couch Perry Wilkes (CPW), are hoping to change. Zoe said: “Apprenticeships have always been an attractive option for many, including myself, and are increasingly seen as a strong rival to higher education, providing the valuable skills and real-world experience needed for success in the construction sector. “With it being Women in Construction Week, it’s an important time to be talking about the need for more women in the construction sector. Apprenticeships are a great way for women to circumvent the glass ceiling and get their foot in the door. “By making it easier for women to step into the industry from the start of their career, we can challenge stigmas around female engineers and normalise equal representation from the start.” For new trainees entering the industry, the need for frequent technical engagement is a key part of development. CPW’s two-fold approach ensures that this can continue despite the challenges of lockdown restrictions. Firstly, a straightforward mentor hierarchy for trainees keeps lines of remote technical input clear and concise, and secondly, CPW currently retains some weekly office presence options for trainees to sit alongside mentors. Apprentices are given priority over socially distanced desks and office numbers are appropriately limited, while still allowing some of the regular face-to-face interaction that is vital to progression. Angelina added: “The construction industry is as hands-on as it gets and having the opportunity to gain practical experience with software, design implementation, and working as a team on a common project goal is invaluable. “We’ve already had great insights into the sector, enhancing our knowledge of M&E engineering and construction industry trends beyond what could be learnt in a university classroom. “Entering a traditionally male-dominated industry can be daunting to say the least. It’s a self-fulfilling prophesy as the ‘boys club’ mentality deters women from applying for roles at all. By beginning at an apprentice level, it paves the way to gender equality in engineering. Learning alongside male counterparts and benefitting from the expert knowledge of your more experienced team members, really helps challenge the stigma.” Authentic on the job learning and an opportunity to earn whilst you learn makes construction apprenticeships an attractive place to start your career. CPW has a strong track record of supporting trainees and apprentices in further and higher education across all ten offices. More than 40% of its team has come through the apprenticeship training programme and trainees are given the opportunity to complete industry-recognised qualifications and work on live projects while being managed in a supportive environment. Taking on new trainees each year, CPW will be launching its 2021 apprenticeship scheme later this year. For further information visit www.cpwp.com or follow @CpwEastMids on Twitter.
London Build has been celebrating women within the construction industry since 2015, hosting an annual Women in Construction networking attended by over 1,200 women working across all sectors – making it the UK’s largest meeting of Women in Construction. This free-to-attend session gives professionals the opportunity to learn from a panel of established experts and rub elbows with some truly inspirational women who have made a significant impact on the industry. The event will look at issues of gender imbalance and inequality within the built environment, as well as highlighting the outstanding achievements of those who are driving change across the industry. Kicking off at 10.30am on day two of London Build (28th Nov), we’ll see the Women in Construction panel take over the main stage – an upgrade from 2018 in order to accommodate the ever-increasing audience. Moderated by Cristina Lanz Azcarate, London and South East Chair – NAWIC, the panel will feature five renowned speakers: Ruby El-Kanzi, Senior Design Manager I Construction London – Wates Pamela McInroy, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager – High Speed Two Sharon Duffy, Head of Transport Infrastructure Engineering – Transport for London Michelle Hands, Director – N J Engineering Michaela Wain, Managing Director – We Connect Construction After the panel, the event will move to the Built Environment Networking Hub – a chance to network with established experts including the event’s Women in Construction Ambassadors and discuss the untapped opportunities for both women and men working in construction, diversity and equality. Becoming a Women in Construction Ambassador Part of London Build’s commitment to amplifying the voices of Women in Construction is its active recruitment of professional and talented individuals driving change within the construction industry. We seek out ambassadors to represent the extraordinary skill sets and expertise the industry has to offer. Both women and men are welcome! London Build focusses on showcasing the advantages of being a woman in construction, and strives to have a strong female line-up in its content programme. This mission to ensure that businesses within the construction industry have every opportunity to thrive, by telling inspiring and motivating stories from exceptional women, is something that we encourage industry professionals to become a part of. You can get involved by joining industry-leading names such as Christina Riley, Angela Brady, Alison Coutinho and Angela Dapper in becoming a Women in Construction Ambassador. By promoting the Women in Construction Networking Event and London Build to your contacts, you’ll have a WIC Ambassadors’ badge, priority seating at the conference, first-hand introductions during the networking event to help you gain an active role in promoting the WIC initiative and keep striving to make incredible change in the UK’s construction industry. Anyone of any gender who is passionate about driving change in the UK’s built environment, from students to architects to CEO’s, is welcome to get involved. To find out more or to sign up, visit www.londonbuildexpo.com/wic. Women in Construction at the London Construction Awards The London Construction Awards are the leading construction awards for London, recognising achievements, developments and innovation in London’s booming construction industry. A recognised industry accolade, the London Construction Awards have niche award categories to suit each specialism – and continues the London Build theme of championing equality, diversity and inclusion with its tailored Women in Construction and Diversity and Inclusion awards. Both categories are free to enter, and entries close at 5pm on 27th August 2019 (an extension on the deadline). For further information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at wic@londonbuildexpo.com or call 0203 058 2350.
Sarah Toon is a specialist construction and architectural photographer based in Norfolk. With a lifelong interest in photography, after a decade working as a bookkeeper and practice manager for an accountancy business, Sarah decided to develop a new career as a professional photographer five years ago. Rather than following many other female photographers and focusing on fashion, weddings and family portraits, she has chosen to specialise in the more male-dominated niche of construction and property photography. Sarah recently completed an eighteen-month project as official progress photographer for the Wells Maltings project in North Norfolk. Working closely with architects, contractors and the client team, Sarah’s images have become iconic in the retelling of this new cultural and arts centre’s story. Other regular clients include regional construction firms RobSon Construction Limited, who were the main contractor for the refurbishment of the Lady Elizabeth Wing on the Holkham Estate, Norwich-based surveyors Daniel Connall Partnership, Chaplin Farrant architects and most recently, Daylight Developments Ltd. She is due to start work on several projects this autumn in London, for a structural engineering consultancy in London. In recognition of her role within a traditionally male workplace, in September 2018 Sarah was selected to take part in the National Association of Women in Construction’s project, Image of Women in Construction. Aimed at highlighting the diversity and strength of women who work within the construction industry, to encourage the next generation of girls to consider it as a future career path, the project is being led by acclaimed architectural photographer Morley von Sternberg, FRIBA. As one of so few women specialising in construction and property photography, Sarah jumped at the chance to be involved in such an inspiring project and has subsequently joined Morley on a number of his commercial shoots. Sarah is keen to promote equality across the sector by showing young women that creative careers in the construction and architecture sector are open to all.
Good news for industry equality; it has recently been announced that the quantity of women holding positions in the construction sector has recently risen to one of the highest figures since the establishment of records. Heralding a positive step forward in equality and diversity for the construction sector, the news is quite well received from an ethical perspective and, whilst firstly highlighting the increase in female construction workers taken on, yet also showcases the level of interest from women in construction careers. Highlighted in statistics provided by the Office for National Statistics, it can be seen that the quantity of female construction operatives has seen a growth of some 9.9% on a yearly basis, reaching levels of 277,000 at the close of 2015 – this figure being at a high not seen over the course of the last twenty years, when the last record was set in 1996. Surprisingly, it has also been seen that the sheer rate at which female construction workers have been hired has actually been at a more rapid pace than male construction workers, with the total number of male workers only rising by 6.6% in the 12 months up to the close. Most specifically, each quarter of 2015 showed a 1.5% increase in the number of female workers in the sector, with the increase in male workers trailing behind at a 1% increase er quarter. Of course, the sector is far from entirely equal, with these figures, yes, highlighting positive change, but the industry does indeed remain more weighted towards male workers. As of present, the overall proportion of women making up the construction sector’s workforce sits at 19.9%, which is a considerable increase on the figure of 11.9% shown when the records were first initialised. And so, while considerable progress is still hoped for from an equality perspective, these figures highlighted over the course of the year to paint a very positive picture, both from the perspective of interest levels and of the take-up of female construction workers as a whole.
