March 8, 2023
ShareIn recognition of International Women’s Day we are both celebrating the women that work in J A Brooks and the steps that have been taken within the construction industry to breakdown some of the barriers women face.
Read our post below and a showcase of some of our fantastic women and the important roles they play.
The construction industry has historically been male-dominated, with women making up a small percentage of the workforce. Thankfully, in recent years, there has been a growing trend in construction towards greater gender diversity with women entering the field at all levels, from entry-level positions to executive leadership roles.
The construction industry has traditionally been seen as physically demanding and challenging, requiring long hours and hard work. These factors have contributed to an imbalanced perception that the industry is not suitable for women. Throughout the industry steps are being taken to dispel this stereotype as more women enter it and prove that they are capable of performing the same tasks as men.
Women are now being recruited into a wide range of construction-related roles, from architects and engineers to project managers, site managers, and tradespeople. In some cases, they are also starting their own construction businesses, bringing new perspectives and ideas to the industry.
There are several reasons why women are increasingly attracted to the construction industry
The increasing presence of women in the construction industry is a positive trend that is helping to drive greater gender diversity and equality. By breaking down stereotypes and challenging biases, women are helping to create a more inclusive and welcoming industry that values their contributions and supports their career growth.
There is still a lot of work to be done and we will continue to play our role in empowering and inspiring women and seeking greater parity in the industry.
We are proud of the women that work for our company and are empathetic and mindful of the challenges they may face in this industry. Our women work in a variety of roles including quantity surveyor, document controller, trainee plumber, accounts and finance management and administration. Many of these roles involve regular visits to our project sites, which are predominantly male dominated. However we ensure that everyone is welcomed on site, irrespective of gender or status, and that everyone is given an equal opportunity to training and development and career progression.
Erika is our Trainee Quantity Surveyor
“Construction is not a career encouraged to girls at school – it didn’t feel like an option to me. Although I feel this is now changing, when I visit site I see women working and this is exciting! Working in a male environment can feel intimidating at times, it is nice to have some female presence.
I started at JA Brooks as a Commercial Assistant and have now been given the opportunity to train as a Quantity Surveyor. This progression has given me self-confidence and reassured me that I have a place in the industry. I regularly visit sites and attend meetings allowing me to experience all environments and in all these situations my colleagues make me feel included and that my opinion is valued.”
Mia is our Document Controller
“When I started at the Company I was solely office based but now I go onto site at times, which initially was quite daunting as it is predominately men, however I have been made to feel comfortable and included on every site I’ve been to. I have also seen a growing number of women on site which has been exciting.
Although there has been some progress it is still pretty rare to see many women on site outside of the office areas or in admin roles within the industry. Many people’s mindsets of construction being a “man’s job” and not a conventional career path for women has definitely deterred more females from getting into the industry which will hopefully change as time goes by.
Thankfully as a Company we are making progress and we have employed more women in various roles (both office and site based) since I started 5 years ago and, like with me, we have been working on getting women more involved on site. We also have work events and team building days that allow us to grow as a team outside of our work environment and to all feel included”.
Kat is our Lead Document Controller
“I’ve been working for the Company for 5 years now and no longer seem to notice many differences between male and female workers. This is a measure of how much the Company has made me feel welcome as a woman and has given me the opportunity and support to progress.
Women are typically seen as people who do admin, cleaning or work in the canteen. However, I have seen an increase of female installers over the past few years across site. The Company has employed a female plumber and uses companies that have female operatives. The Company also encourages its women to work on site to represent it as part of a client facing team”.
Chloe is our Trainee Plumber
“I’ve been working for the Company for just over a year now after the career adviser at my College suggested I look for a job here. I enjoy being a female plumber and want to encourage more girls to join the trade.
The Company have helped me learn many things and I enjoy learning about the construction industry as I only get taught about the domestic side in plumbing at College. It was a bit daunting knowing I was going to be one of few women on site but that feeling soon went when I met the team on my site who are all really encouraging and welcoming. I’m really enjoying the role and look forward to progressing and seeing how much more I learn within the team”
