women in construction

Spotlight on… women in construction aims to demonstrate why the construction industry should be addressing the issue of attracting more women into the industry...

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The campaign

In 2016, the number of women directly employed in construction hit a 20-year high. But despite comprising over 50% of the UK population, women still make up only 11% of the construction workforce; this number drops to just 1% of operatives on site. At less than 10% of engineering professionals, the UK has the lowest proportion of female engineers in Europe. With the industry facing a skills shortage, it has never been more important to draw from a wider pool of talent.

This campaign seeks to increase understanding of the issue of women in construction, highlight the great work done so far to promote diversity, showcase female role models and offer guidance on how to further encourage women into the industry.

Why are there so few women in construction?

Lingering sexist attitudes in the workplace are off-putting for many women. A July 2017 survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) found that nearly one third of women in construction said a fear of sexism held them back from pursuing senior roles. A January 2017 survey reported in Building.co.uk found that a shocking 73% of female engineers have experienced sexual discrimination, harassment or victimisation at work.

In 2018, it was revealed in a survey that construction has the third highest rate of unwanted sexual attention in the workplace, just below the hospitality and retail industries. Casual sexism, such as patronising and belittling attitudes, is also damaging and can result in women feeling unwelcome.

Other reasons for female under-representation in the industry relate to working conditions. While there have been vast improvements in recent years, particularly in on-site facilities, some sites still do not provide separate and equal welfare facilities. A 2018 survey by Unite discovered that women share toilets with men on one in five construction sites.

Inflexible working hours can also deter women who have family commitments, contributing to the ‘leaky pipeline’ which sees women not return to the industry after having children.

The gender pay gap is an issue that must be addressed in every industry but it is particularly acute in construction. The Office of National Statistics reports that the national pay gap is 18.1%, but also found that male construction and building trades supervisors are paid 45% more than their female counterparts – this is the largest pay gap in the UK.

While there is certainly still room for improvement in the industry’s approach to diversity, it can sometimes be more an issue of image and perception which puts women off construction careers. People often perceive the industry as an all-male environment where the only jobs available involve manual labour.

A survey by housebuilder Redrow asked young people about the careers advice they received at school – just 29% of women had been given advice on construction careers compared to 40% of men. This leads to a lack of knowledge among young people about the variety of roles in the industry, encouraging the assumption that construction is a world of male builders and discouraging them from joining the industry.

Why does it matter?

Recruiting more women into the construction industry should not be just a tick-box exercise – it is essential to the long-term viability of the UK construction industry, especially given that the industry accounts for 6.5% of total economic output (House of Commons – Construction industry briefing paper, 2015).

The industry needs 35,000 new workers a year to tackle the skills shortage and this will not be filled by ignoring the talents of half of the population. Diversity is also an economic generator, driving innovation through collaboration and creative thinking. According to McKinsey & Company, companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on their executive teams were 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile.

What is the Scheme doing to encourage women into construction?

The Considerate Constructors Scheme has been leading the effort to raising standards and making the industry accessible to all. In the Checklist used by Scheme Monitors to score registered sites during their visits, Question 5.1 asks ‘Does the site demonstrate a commitment to respect, fair treatment, encouragement and support?’ while question 5.8 asks ‘What is being done to help encourage more equality, diversity and inclusion on site?’ These questions address issues such as inclusion, harassment, open door policies and inappropriate language.

Scheme survey results

In order to understand how these issues affect the industry, the Scheme issued an anonymous survey to all registered sites, companies and suppliers. Over 1000 men and women responded, and the following results were gathered:

  • 94% said the industry would benefit from employing more women.
  • 79% said the industry has improved its approach to encouraging women into construction.
  • 76% said there are no construction jobs which only men can do.
  • 74% said there should not be quotas for hiring women into construction
  • 52% have witnessed or experienced sexism within the construction industry
  • When asked the most important reason women do not choose to work in construction, 22% said working conditions, 22% said lack of female role models and 20% said negative image of the industry.

The Scheme followed the survey with this ‘Spotlight on…’ campaign to provide information on the issue of women in construction.

While women are still under-represented in construction, the industry is making considerable progress in addressing diversity. The following sections highlight the steps taken by construction organisations and the Government, and showcase case studies of successful women across the industry. However, there is more to be done to improve gender diversity in construction and the conclusion offers advice on how to address these issues.

 

 

Law and legislation

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Law and legislation

The following law and legislation is relevant to helping address the obstacles faced by women in the workplace...

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External resources

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External resources

Gender diversity is a huge issue in the construction industry today. There are numerous organisations and initiatives committed to encouraging women into the construction industry...

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Examples of best practice

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Examples of best practice

The Scheme aims to improve the image of construction through sharing best practice with the industry. Below are a number of best practice examples that have been witnessed by the Scheme’s Monitors on their visits or submitted directly by registered sites, companies and suppliers…

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Case studies

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Case studies

The Scheme has reached out to women throughout the industry to hear their experiences of working in construction...

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What can you do?

As we have seen, the construction industry is making important strides in addressing the gender imbalance. Diversity is increasingly embedded in company policy and the number of women working in construction is increasing.

Recruitment agency Randstad report that in 2005, 79% of female construction workers said their company was doing little to engage female workers; by 2015, this was down to 29%. Indeed, 79% of respondents to the Scheme survey agreed that in recent years the industry has improved its approach to encouraging women into construction.

“My experience is very positive and I have found most on site to be supportive and helpful … A career in construction is hugely rewarding, I am proud to be here.”

“In the 15 years I have worked in the industry there has been a positive increase in the number of female trainees, construction managers and engineers.”

“I experience no difference in pay or opportunity and no mistreatment at work because of my gender and believe the industry has come a long way from more traditional views.”

– Anonymous responses to the Scheme survey

However, the effort to achieve gender equality in construction is far from over. The industry is making progress on the issue but women still comprise only 11% of the construction workforce. The imbalance needs to be corrected due to the skills shortage, so what more can the industry do to contribute to this effort?

Embedding equality and diversity in recruitment

“I work for a small construction company, who have an older and more traditional outlook. We have no women employed to work on site and although it is never mentioned, I don’t think that a woman would be considered for such a role.”

– Anonymous response to the Scheme survey

Embedding equality and diversity in recruitment will help increase the number of women working in construction and make the industry more inclusive. Organisations should consider the following points to address gender inequality in their workforce:

  • Companies should have an Equality and Diversity policy which ensures the requirements of the Equality Act are implemented. This will involve providing equal and transparent recruitment, training and promotion prospects for men and women.
  • Employers should be aware of how hiring policies can create barriers for women through unconscious bias, for example informal word of mouth recruitment/promotion and using traditionally masculine words like ‘strong’ in job descriptions.
  • Encouraging returnships for older workers will address the ‘leaky pipeline’ which sees construction lose talented women who do not return to the industry after a career break.
  • The issue should not sit in Human Resources but be closely monitored and incorporated into the business plan through Key Performance Indicators making diversity a top priority.

Improving the image of the industry

“The first thought people have about the construction industry is instantly of cold, wet working conditions and an unpleasant working environment, which is not the case.”

– Anonymous response to the Scheme survey

To engage both women and men to construction careers requires changing perceptions to show that construction is a professional industry with a wide range of interesting and lucrative jobs available. When conducting recruitment drives and youth outreach the following points should be emphasised:

  • Most people associate construction work with hard manual labour. It should be advertised that, especially with the rise of technology such as Building Information Modelling, construction is about project management, leadership, creativity, organisation, communication and teamwork. Resources such as WISE’s ‘People like Me’pack can assist contractors in highlighting this to young people.

Encouraging a change in culture

“I’ve become really demoralised over the past year because I still face sexism in the workplace all the time. It’s draining me.”

– Anonymous response to the Scheme survey

While the situation has improved for many women in construction, there are some construction sites in the UK which continue to be hostile to female workers and members of the public. As long as this remains the case, many women will be discouraged from joining the industry. There are steps that sites can take to tackle sexism and encourage a more inclusive workplace culture:

  • All sites must have a zero tolerance policy on sexism and harassment and have an open door policy to encourage all workers to report inappropriate behaviour. Some sites have introduced telephone hotlines for workers to report bullying and harassment.
  • Site induction and toolbox talks should cover equality, diversity and inclusion to ensure all workers are treated with fairness, inclusion and respect. The Supply Chain Sustainability School provides free training videos on these subjects; see the ‘External resources’ section for details.
  • Companies could work with women’s organisations to organise training for their workforce in recognising and eliminating casual sexism and unconscious bias.
  • Establishing company support networks for women to share their experiences will help to break the isolation that many women in construction face.

Improving working conditions

“I was given no flexibility when I was pregnant and was told “you chose to do a man’s job so you have to get on with it”.”

– Anonymous response to the Scheme survey

The working conditions in construction have improved dramatically in recent years, but there are further ways to promote equality through fairer working conditions and modern facilities. Measures that sites could consider include:

  • Ensuring that all sites have separate and equal welfare facilities for men and women.
  • Providing appropriate PPE for women, securing their safety and comfort on site.
  • Ensuring men and women receive equal pay for equal work while also monitoring and working to close the gender pay gap by encouraging more women in senior positions.
  • Introducing flexible working hours to accommodate those with family commitments. Flexibility benefits working fathers, older workers and those with disabilities, helping to increase diversity across the board.

Promoting female role models

“As women, in our lives we do not see women in high places as much as you do men. This is very disheartening.”

– Anonymous response to the Scheme survey

Women currently working in construction should openly discuss their careers with children and adults to change perceptions of the industry and break down stereotypes. The following points will help organisations effectively promote female role models:

  • Successful women in the industry should be identified in promotional literature and encouraged to speak in schools and colleges to show the future generation that the industry is diverse and inclusive.
  • Rewarding female role models, for example through the annual Women in Construction awards, helps raise the profile of leading women in the industry and shows that women do excel by having a career within construction.
  • More women in senior leadership positions within construction companies and other organisations will help to inspire women already in the industry to aim high and seek promotion.

Working with schools and colleges

“I do a number of school visits at primary age and am often told that I cannot be a builder as I am a girl. At college, young adults do not even consider a career in construction because they are unaware of all the roles that are available.”

– Anonymous response to the Scheme survey

Many preconceptions about construction are formed at a very early age. Contractors are already doing great work through school outreach programmes, but this could be translated into more formal links between the industry and schools and colleges. The following factors should be considered when working with schools and colleges:

  • Careers advisers, teachers and parents need to be given a better insight into the industry to enable them to pass on accurate and useful advice to young people considering a career in construction. This will ensure construction is portrayed positively and not as a ‘last resort’ for non-academic students or a profession only suited to men.
  • Work experience, taster days and site visits will help challenge preconceptions about construction by showing young people that the industry is an exciting and interesting place to work.
  • Apprenticeships are vital ways of providing young people interested in construction with opportunities to develop their skills. The industry should work with schools and colleges to identify students who could benefit from such training.

The industry is making great progress in encouraging more women to pursue construction careers, but more can be done to increase gender diversity. By continuing to work together to tackle perceptions and change industry practices, construction will become a truly inclusive industry.

As well as the information above, it is also advised to use the resources provided in the ‘External resources’ section of this campaign which identifies information from other organisations and companies.

The Scheme will continue to update this page as new case studies and examples of how the industry is tackling this issue are identified. If you would like to share how your organisation helps to encourage more women to consider a career in construction, please contact the Scheme by emailing enquiries@ccsbestpractice.org.uk.

Date published: September 18 2017
Last updated: April 21 2021

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Examples of best practice

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Categories Community liaison Flooding Schools
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CategoriesCommunity liaison Flooding Schools
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As part of our STEM programme of Community work, and to celebrate Women in Engineering Day 2017, Sheffield Hallam University, A-one+ and the RAF hosted an activity day aimed at Year 9 and 10 girls from local schools. The focus of the day was on disaster relief in the UK and the engineering skills that are required immediately following a…

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Inspiring Women in our Industry

Published 11 July 2017 | No comments
Written by Andrew Sharp
Categories Equality Promoting Construction campaign
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CategoriesEquality Promoting Construction campaign
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To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, we developed a series of short bios of women in our business. Drawing from a broad cross section of disciplines and experience from within the project, our leadership team worked with women to capture and celebrate their own journey in engineering and construction. As well as capturing their stories, we encouraged our women…

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Inspiring Girls into Construction

Published 26 June 2017 | No comments
Written by Claire Anderson
Categories Equality Schools
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CategoriesEquality Schools
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Pupils from four schools in East Renfrewshire recently attended an informative workshop hosted by BAM Construction. Held at Barrhead High School, a live construction site, the event was designed to inspire girls to consider construction as a career. Third to fifth year pupils were selected to take part from Williamwood High School, St Ninians, Woodfarm High School and St Luke’s…

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Offering Work Placements for Women into Construction mMmbers

Published 4 April 2017 | No comments
Written by Wai-Keat Ngai
Categories Campaigns Equality
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CategoriesCampaigns Equality
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As part of a greater effort to introduce new talent into the industry, Crossrail Paddington offered short term work placements and CV Workshops to members of Women into Construction (WiC), giving them the opportunity to develop their skills and gain further project experience. Aliona supported the commercial team as an assistant to help produce subcontract agreement for various work packages;…

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Supporting International Women’s Day

Published 20 March 2017 | No comments
Written by Cintia Bailey
Categories Diversity Equality Inclusion Management attitudes Promoting Construction campaign
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CategoriesDiversity Equality Inclusion Management attitudes Promoting Construction campaign
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For International Women’s Day 2017, we asked our workforce to #BeBoldForChange. What advice would you offer our future generations of women? This year on International Women’s Day we invited everyone to answer that question. The response has been amazing. Throughout the day, we shared images of those joining the conversation on our Twitter feed. A presentation on how we, as…

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Spotlight on… campaign posters

Published 17 March 2017 | No comments
Written by CCS Best Practice Hub Administrator
Categories Alcohol testing Campaigns Diversity Drugs and alcohol policy Drugs testing Guidance Illegal workers Mental health Modern slavery Occupational health risks Posters Scheme posters/banners Signage Stress Workforce
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CategoriesAlcohol testing Campaigns Diversity Drugs and alcohol policy Drugs testing Guidance Illegal workers Mental health Modern slavery Occupational health risks Posters Scheme posters/banners Signage Stress Workforce
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Spotlight on… posters have been designed for general display in and around site welfare facilities. The Scheme has developed a collection of A3 posters from the series of ‘Spotlight on…’ awareness campaigns. This resource has proven valuable for display on site and raising awareness amongst the workforce and visitors. To purchase these products, click here. To download a free electronic…

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International Women’s Day

Published 7 March 2017 | No comments
Written by CCS Best Practice Hub Administrator
Categories Diversity Equality Management attitudes Promoting Construction campaign
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CategoriesDiversity Equality Management attitudes Promoting Construction campaign
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International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. To support International Women’s Day on your site, you could do the following: Support and participate in ‘Women in Construction’ events; Have a robust equality and diversity policy ensuring men and women are treated equally; Visit the ‘International Women’s Day’ website to view resources…

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Getting the Girl Guides Involved in Construction

Published 25 October 2016 | No comments
Written by James Ford
Categories Goodwill Public Support
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CategoriesGoodwill Public Support
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The construction site was based in a remote area with no direct neighbours so we went out to the local Girl Guides group to try and get them involved in construction. They had the annual International Jamboree which they wanted to create an archway for their camp site which they requested we helped with. Using timber that was going spare…

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Mace’s ‘Building Futures’ programme

Published 10 October 2016 | No comments
Written by Laura Hampson
Categories Careers advice Careers advice Colleges Equality Schools
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CategoriesCareers advice Careers advice Colleges Equality Schools
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One of the problems that exists when talking to young people about careers in construction is the lack of understanding about the variety of different roles available. Both teachers and school children are unaware of the scope with a career in construction and can limit the options of students because of preconceptions about who would be suitable to work in…

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Providing Opportunities for Female Operatives

Published 2 August 2016 | No comments
Written by CCS Best Practice Hub Administrator
Categories Diversity Equality Inclusion Training
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CategoriesDiversity Equality Inclusion Training
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Equality should be encouraged within the workforce across all individuals. In order for the industry to attract potential employees from all backgrounds, ages and genders, equality must be demonstrated. Additional training is an effective method in widening the accessibility and potential for the whole workforce. One site showed evidence of this through the below example: The organisation looked for opportunities…

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Promoting Women in Construction

Published 7 July 2016 | No comments
Written by Charlene Millen
Categories Cooperation
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CategoriesCooperation
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Women make up only 11 per cent of the construction workforce and just 1 per cent of workers on site. The Office for National Statistics says that the number of women working as roofers, bricklayers and glaziers is so low that it is unmeasurable. To promote Women into Construction our site team at Adelaide Street, Belfast recently organised a Women…

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Celebrating National Women in Engineering Day

Published 6 July 2016 | No comments
Written by Andrew Sharp
Categories Careers advice Diversity Equality Minority groups Schools
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CategoriesCareers advice Diversity Equality Minority groups Schools
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To celebrate women in engineering and support and encourage more women to consider a career in engineering or construction, we developed a series of activities to celebrate National Women in Engineering Day (NWED). These encouraged staff to take the opportunity to understand a bit more about how the role of women in engineering has changed and continues to change in…

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Spotlight on… campaign flyers

Published 22 June 2016 | No comments
Written by CCS Best Practice Hub Administrator
Categories Alcohol testing Apprenticeships Campaigns Communication Cycle safety Diversity Guidance Health screening Healthy lifestyle advice Illegal workers Inappropriate language Medications Mental health Modern slavery Occupational health risks Plastics and packaging Posters Scheme posters/banners Signage
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CategoriesAlcohol testing Apprenticeships Campaigns Communication Cycle safety Diversity Guidance Health screening Healthy lifestyle advice Illegal workers Inappropriate language Medications Mental health Modern slavery Occupational health risks Plastics and packaging Posters Scheme posters/banners Signage
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The ‘Spotlight on…’ flyers have been designed for general display in and around site welfare facilities. The Scheme provides a collection of A5 flyers from both past and current ‘Spotlight on…’ awareness campaigns. Each unique flyer contains information on the industry issue and advice on how to tackle it. This resource has proven valuable for display on site and raising awareness amongst…

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Considerate Constructors Scheme e-learning courses

Published 17 May 2016 | No comments
Written by CCS Best Practice Hub Administrator
Categories CCS briefing and action plan E-learning Induction and training Scheme training and champion Training
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CategoriesCCS briefing and action plan E-learning Induction and training Scheme training and champion Training
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The Scheme has developed free e-learning courses aimed towards helping registered sites, companies and suppliers understand why it is important to be considerate towards the workforce, environment and general public. These courses aim to increase Scheme knowledge as well as helping learners to meet the expectations of the Code of Considerate Practice by focusing on the five sections of the it,…

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Encouraging and Supporting Women into the Construction Industry

Published 8 April 2015 | No comments
Written by CCS Best Practice Hub Administrator
Categories Campaigns Careers advice CSCS Diversity Equality Skills card
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CategoriesCampaigns Careers advice CSCS Diversity Equality Skills card
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The industry needs to be promoted in a positive light to encourage women to consider a career in construction. The construction industry is currently made up of a predominately male workforce. A greater effort needs to be made to encourage women into the industry, to help build a more diverse skill set for the future. Below are examples of how sites can achieve…

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CITB’s Be Fair Framework

Published 5 November 2014 | No comments
Written by CCS Best Practice Hub Administrator
Categories Age Consultation Diversity Equality Inclusion Minority groups Recognition
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CategoriesAge Consultation Diversity Equality Inclusion Minority groups Recognition
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A key requirement of the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice is to provide a workplace where everyone is respected, treated fairly, encouraged, supported and made to feel valued as an employee. All members of the workforce must be treated fairly and without discrimination. An ‘inclusion’ policy should demonstrate commitment to equality, diversity and respect amongst the workforce. Many companies are turning to CITB’s…

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Case studies

Women interested in a career in construction need to hear from successful women in the industry, as female role models are essential in helping to engage more women into the industry.

The Scheme has reached out to women throughout the industry to hear their experiences of working in construction…

Roma Agrawal is a Structural Engineer at AECOM. Throughout her career she has worked on major projects, including The Shard, and appeared on television and radio promoting engineering careers to young people. Read her case study here. 

Nayera Aslam is Aviation Engineering Manager for AECOM. Nayera was interested in an engineering career by technical feats like the Channel Tunnel and the Hoover Dam and has since worked on projects including the London 2012 Olympics. Read her case study here.

Caroline Barker is a civil engineer by profession and a Monitor for the Considerate Constructors Scheme. She is actively involved in the effort to improve the image of the industry and encourage people from diverse backgrounds to consider a career in construction. Read her case study here.

Stephanie Bennett is a trainee Quantity Surveyor with Morgan Sindall. She worked in administration before becoming a surveyor and is currently being supported through university by Morgan Sindall. Read her case study here.

Victoria Betts is a senior Site Manager at Higgins Construction working on the Gabriel Square project in St. Albans. She started in the industry working with her father for a general building company carrying out plastering, tiling and kitchen installation. Read her case study here. 

Sally Cave is the first qualified female Gas Membrane Installer in the UK. She began working at her father’s installation company in administration but trained to become qualified for on-site work. Read her case study here. 
Margaret Conway is a Project Manager for McAleer & Rushe. In 2017 she became the first woman to win the Construction Manager of the Year Award for her work on the 9 Adelaide project in Belfast. Read her case study here.
Michèle Dix is Managing Director of Crossrail 2, a new railway which will improve access to and from London and reduce congestion on existing rail services. Before moving to Crossrail, Michèle worked as Director of Congestion Charging at Transport for London. Read her case study here.

Katie Kelleher is a crawler crane operator working for Select/Laing O’Rourke. Katie worked in recruitment before starting an apprenticeship in October 2014. She has been working on the Tottenham Court Road Crossrail site since May 2015. Read her case study here.

Eillish Kwai is the Employment and Skills Manager at Ardmore. She is actively involved with the Women into Construction organisation, providing women with advice, training and job opportunities in the industry. Read her case study here.
Ruby Lee is a Trainee Site Manager with Berkeley Homes. She had never considered a construction career until attending a careers event where Berkeley were present. She has been working on the Kidbrooke Village site since September 2017. Read her case study here. 
Kath Moore is a qualified carpenter by trade and the Managing Director of Women into Construction, a not-for-profit organisation supporting women wishing to work in the construction industry. Read her case study here. 

Megan Robinson is a Technical Coordinator at Barratt Developments plc and co-founder of Built by Both, a campaign to inspire young women to embark on careers in the built environment. Read her case study here. 

Noelene Russell is an Architectural Assistant at Claridge Architects. She was attracted to architecture by its artistic nature and is currently working on a large development project in Plymouth. Read her case study here. 

Morganstone employees Natalie Bishop (Civil Engineering and Groundworks Buyer), Trudi Bowen (Business Systems Manager) and Lisa Snape (Gate person) discuss their routes into construction and their experiences as women in the industry.

Close law and legislation

Law and legislation

The following law and legislation is relevant to helping address the obstacles faced by women in the workplace…

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act superseded earlier legislation including the Equal Pay Act 1970 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. The Act requires equal treatment in access to employment, as well as private and public services regardless of age, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender.

For Government guidance on the Act, click here.

Gender pay gap reporting

From April 2017, UK employers with over 250 staff are required to publish statistics on the gender pay gap in their organisation. This provision of the Equality Act will apply to a number of UK construction organisations.

For Government guidance on mandatory gender pay gap reporting, click here.

To read Acas’s guidance on pay gap reporting, click here.

Close External resources

External resources

Gender diversity is a huge issue in the construction industry today. There are numerous organisations and initiatives committed to encouraging women into the construction industry…

Organisations

  • Constructing Equality offer training workshops and consultancy services to guide employers on creating and sustaining a diverse workforce.
  • National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is an international organisation of women working in the construction industry. They organise site visits and host seminars and workshops to promote women in construction.
  • Tomorrow’s Engineers seeks to create a national network of employers working to connect with young people interested in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) career.
  • Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) offers opportunities for young people (aged 14-24) to learn construction skills while volunteering on local community projects. Some 38% of the VIY volunteers are women.
  • Women’s Engineering Society (WES) is a charity and professional network of women in engineering disciplines, offering inspiration and support.
  • Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) works to achieve gender balance in STEM industries by showcasing role models and providing consultancy and training. Their Ten Steps initiative encourages companies to sustain the pipeline of female talent in STEM. A number of contractors have signed up to this framework. Read more about the initiative here.
    –  WISE also offer an online Culture Analysis Tool which allows STEM companies to understand and benchmark the diversity and inclusion culture in their organisation. Find out more here.
  • Women into Construction is a not-for-profit organisation that provides support for women looking to work in construction and assists contractors to recruit female workers.

What is the industry doing?

  • Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) released a video called ‘Building Tomorrow’ profiling women in construction. Watch the video here. They have also launched a video blog series featuring a young female construction student using the hashtag #elliethebuilder. Watch the series here.
  • Construction Industry Council (CIC)’s Diversity Panel is a collaborative forum for members of all construction disciplines and professional bodies to identify and promote diversity policies in the construction industry. For more information, click here.
  • Construction Industry Federation Ireland is encouraging women in the industry to share their stories as part of its Building Equality campaign.
  • Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)’s BeFair accreditation framework aims to raise awareness about fairness, inclusion, respect and equal pay among construction companies.
  • CITB Northern Ireland run the Women in Construction Network Northern Ireland which provides site visits and seminars and provides an opportunity for women in the industry to network and experience different elements of the construction industry. The network also showcases case studies of women in the industry and runs events promoting construction among schoolchildren. For more information click here.
  • Construction Youth Trust has a #notjustforboys campaign which showcases role models and hosts careers courses for young people, such as the Budding Brunels programme. Find out more here. To read the Smith Institute’s 2016 #notjustforboys report covering the whole spectrum of the issue, click here.
  • Federation of Master Builders challenge stereotypes that women cannot be involved with manual building work by citing women’s involvement in domestic DIY.
  • Go Construct highlights career opportunities for women by compiling information, case studies, links and personality quizzes. Find out more here.
  • Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) developed an apprenticeship toolkit in partnership with WISE to help businesses close the skills gap in construction by recruiting more female apprentices. For more information, click here.
  • Royal Academy of Engineering offers a Diversity and Inclusion toolkit to give companies practical advice, tools and inspiration to improve diversity and inclusion in their workforce. Access the toolkit here.
  • Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) provides guides on how employers can implement diversity and inclusion. Their Inclusive Employer Quality Mark encourages companies to sign up and commit to improving inclusivity along six principles. Read more here. To read RICS’s 2016 report detailing the initiative, click here.
  • Active Training Team are a provider of immersive, experiential safety training. They also produce a quarterly podcast on a specific issue, one being on the topic of women in construction. To listen to this podcast, please click here.

What are contractors doing?

  • Ardmore worked with Women into Construction to support female graduates into employment on the Olympic Park site. This work has continued and Ardmore routinely place female construction workers on their sites.
  • BAM Nuttall has launched a range of work clothing specifically designed for women. The company is also using its highway vans as mobile advertising hoardings to encourage women to consider a career in construction.
  • Ballymore is encouraging women to join the industry by providing fair career opportunities and supporting women in the workplace. They recently interviewed women working on their London City Island project about their experiences in the industry. Read more here.
  • Bechtel, Bouygues and BRE Group host women’s networking forums for men and women to share advice and identify role models.
  • Crossrail is seeking to boost the representation of women working in construction. Almost one third of jobs with Crossrail are filled by women and they are conducting school visits and working with Women into Construction to place more women with the company.
  • Durkan worked for a decade with Lambeth Council Building Work for Women and Women and Manual Trades to build a sustainable pipeline of female apprentices.
  • Laing O’Rourke has a PeopleFIRST (Fairness, Inclusion, Respect and Sustaining Talent) programme to create a workforce that reflects society by making the company appealing to people from diverse backgrounds. Find out more here.
  • Lendlease promotes women in construction as part of its commitment to diversity, with campaigns to increase the visibility of women in the industry.
  • Mace’s Women of the Future programme is a key part of their gender diversity policy. Run in partnership with WISE, the programme seeks to help participants reach their potential by building their skills, networks and confidence. Read more here.
  • Willmott Dixon is the only construction firm represented on the Women’s Business Council, which advises the Government on how women’s contribution to economic growth can be optimised. Watch their video on women in construction here.
  • Women Returners is a consultancy service for women returning from a career break. Amey, Balfour Beatty, Skanska and Tideway are among those offering returnships.
Other Spotlight on... campaigns

Spotlight on… equality, diversity and inclusion

Published 8 June 2021

Spotlight on… equality, diversity and inclusion provides information and resources to highlight the importance of a diverse workforce and the benefits to employers, individuals and the wider community.

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Spotlight on… coronavirus

Published 28 September 2020

Spotlight on… coronavirus aims to raise awareness of the health and safety risks and issues associated with the coronavirus pandemic and provide the industry with guidance to stop the spread, protect the workforce and the wider community.

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Spotlight on… worker fatigue

Published 2 September 2019

Spotlight on… worker fatigue aims to raise awareness of the health and safety risks associated with fatigue and provides the industry with guidance for addressing this issue…

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Spotlight on… plastics and packaging

Published 4 February 2019

Spotlight on… plastics and packaging raises awareness of the impact of plastics and packaging on the environment and provides the construction industry with guidance for tackling this issue...

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Spotlight on… the next generation

Published 8 August 2018

Spotlight on… the next generation provides information and resources to help tackle the skills shortage and encourage young people into construction.

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Spotlight on… air pollution

Published 23 January 2018

Spotlight on… air pollution raises awareness of the impact of air pollution and provides the industry with advice on tackling the issue...

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Spotlight on… women in construction

Published 18 September 2017

Spotlight on… women in construction aims to demonstrate why the construction industry should be addressing the issue of attracting more women into the industry...

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Spotlight on… illegal workers

Published 28 March 2017

Spotlight on… illegal workers aims to increase understanding of the risk posed by illegal construction workers, and identify what can be done to tackle the problem...

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Spotlight on… drugs and alcohol

Published 22 June 2016

Spotlight on… drugs and alcohol aims to raise awareness of the health and safety risks associated with the topic and how it impacts the construction industry...

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Spotlight on… occupational cancers

Published 8 September 2015

Spotlight on… occupational cancers aims to raise awareness of the health risks involved in construction work, specifically those relating to occupational cancers within the sector...

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Spotlight on… mental health

Published 23 March 2015

Spotlight on… mental health aims to raise awareness of how mental health can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, religion or ethnicity and can cause stress, anxiety and depression...

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Spotlight on… language

Published 14 October 2014

Spotlight on… language focuses on inappropriate, offensive and foul language used in the construction industry and how it could cause offence to both those working on site and anyone passing-by...

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Spotlight on… apprenticeships

Published 7 March 2014

Spotlight on… apprenticeships intends to highlight the importance of apprenticeships, and the benefits to employers, the individuals and the wider community...

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Spotlight on… cycle safety

Published 1 July 2013

Spotlight on… cycle safety aims to raise awareness of cycle safety and reduce accidents between cyclists and construction traffic...

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