Let’s Break the Bias together!

This International Women’s Day, we want to use our platform to showcase and celebrate voices of change in some of the organisations we work with – representatives in the construction industry who are breaking down barriers to create a more inclusive workplace in the sector.

These individuals have submitted #BreaktheBias photos to show their support and solidarity in addressing the gender imbalance in our industry. They include role models, trailblazers and allies; we thank them for working with us to support more women into construction.

Lucy Ann Wallis
Trainee Site Manager

The Hill Group

What has been your journey into construction?

I first joined Hill as a contractor in 2018 as an office administrator for a project in Brentford. My line manager at the time made me aware of the trainee programme. Once the project concluded in Brentford, I pursued a different opportunity whilst continuing my education. I successfully applied for the trainee site manager role in 2020 and joined in September 2020.

How have you and/or your company implemented action to #breakthebias?

I’m a strong advocate for promoting the WiC programme and creating a workforce whereby an individual’s characteristics do not affect their career progression or their acceptance within a role.

Appearing as a guest speaker at WiC events and promoting Hill at career fairs and social events helps to #breakthebias. Championing a job that is not necessarily associated with being a women’s job to younger females provides an opportunity to promote a career that may not be considered or advised as an option.

Hill internally champions the WiC programme and supports me to the fullest extent to work closely with WiC to provide opportunities and inspire others.

How have you worked with WiC?

I work closely with the WiC team to coordinate candidate work experience placements across multiple Hill projects and regularly appear as a guest speaker on various campaigns and WiC events.

These placements offer individuals the opportunity to discover a career that they may not have considered as an option and allows candidates to experience a site environment before committing to a new role. Arguably, the most important benefit of these placements is the future support network within the industry that is available.

What would you say to others to encourage them to #BreaktheBias? 

You cannot beat a person that will not give up.

Steve Doyle
Willmott Dixon

Supply Chain Manager

What has been your journey into construction?

I have been in construction all my working life. I left university and started working for my father’s Steelwork company. I then worked in a number of different organisations as an Estimator until I joined Willmott Dixon in 2007. I have always held more of an interest in the relationship management side of the business and made the move into Supply Chain Management in 2016.

How have you and/or your company implemented action to #breakthebias?

We are breaking the bias in schools, colleges and universities, by challenging stereotypes associated with the construction industry and promoting the fantastic career opportunities that exist at Willmott Dixon for everyone regardless of gender.

How have you worked with WiC?

We are currently working with Women into Construction with a trial programme to promote more female tradespeople on our sites. The programme has been running since November last year with eight of our key Works Partners. During this programme, we have delivered 10 work placements and have provided 5 full-time working opportunities for the women involved.

What would you say to others to encourage them to #BreaktheBias? 

Diverse companies are proven to be the most successful companies. Now is the perfect opportunity to drive change in the construction sector and see the tangible benefits this can bring to us now and in the future.

Alison Tucker
Education & Future Skills Advisor

St. Modwen

What has been your journey into construction?

I utilised my transferable skills and knowledge from managing construction pre-employment programmes, specialising across social inclusion and hard to reach groups to join the Women into Construction team where I developed existing relationships and managed award nominated projects in the West Midlands. During my role at WiC, I worked with St. Modwen as a member and couldn’t turn down the opportunity to work with such an ethical and progressive property developer.

How have you and/or your company implemented action to #breakthebias?

We’re creating a culture at St. Modwen that is inspiring and inclusive, where difference is valued, so we can perform at our best and realise our potential. We’re committed to attracting and retaining the best, diverse talent and creating a safe and inclusive environment where our people can bring their whole selves to work.

How have you worked with WiC?

At St Modwen, I’ve continued to work with WiC. We piloted the first virtual work experience and I have volunteered as a WiC mentor. We’ve also offered work experience, site tours, promotional resources, locations for examples of development, support to programmes, career panels and CIAG. We also have 3 new employees who were all supported by WiC into the business in Commercial, Construction & Technical.

What would you say to others to encourage them to #BreaktheBias? 

Speak up people. WRONG is WRONG even if everyone else is doing it. RIGHT is RIGHT even if no one is doing it. Be the RIGHT leader not a follower in everything you do. Speak up!

Ania Gonzalez
Project Manager

Jacobs / Tideway

What has been your journey into construction?

I graduated as a Structural Civil Engineer in Poland and started my professional journey as a temporary works designer in New Zealand. After a couple of years, I moved back to Europe and joined Tideway Client’s design team. After returning from the first maternity leave, I moved to the construction team and took the role of Project Manager at KEMPF.

How have you and/or your company implemented action to #breakthebias?

Equality and diversity are deeply embedded in the environment I work. The team on site is formed by excellent female engineers and young professionals learning the trade. There are various initiatives around the calendar year to take the opportunity and speak up about the need and benefits of #breakthebias. I myself joined the Tideway panel discussion back in 2020 organised for International Women’s Day and focused on subject how to achieve the professional and parental life balance.

How have you worked with WiC?

Tideway works very closely with Women into Construction, and I look forward to being more involved to help inspire others. I have recently written this article about the challenges of returning to work after maternity leave.

What would you say to others to encourage them to #BreaktheBias? 

Embracing equality and diversity requires, from all of us, tolerance and passion, and it is the more difficult the more different we are.

Barbara Akinkunmi
Assistant Design Manager

Lovell Partnerships

What has been your journey into construction?

During my A-Levels, I always knew that I loved interior renovation projects and modern architecture, which is why I picked Design Technology as one of my course subjects. Through the subject I worked on a residential project using CAD Technology and modelling materials, which really inspired me to study my university degree in Architecture.

My aspirations of becoming an Architect changed during my final year of university, as I had a keen interest to understand how buildings were built and to witness the start to finish process that goes behind the final product. Luckily, a friend of mine had entered the Lovell graduate programme and was so complimentary about the work experience. I knew it was exactly what I was looking for, so I applied and was successful.

Upon completion of the graduate scheme, I was promoted to Assistant Design Manager in 2020 and I’m currently still working within the role.

How have you and/or your company implemented action to #breakthebias?

For the last 3 years and 10 months with Lovell, I’ve been actively involved in inspiring and educating young ladies about the industry and the careers it has to offer through several visits to schools, career fairs and presentations. Usually, I’ll share my experience and journey alongside the variety of roles available that will give young women a lot of job satisfaction from site-based, trade and management roles to sales, HR, marketing and design/development management roles. With my own personal journey into the industry, I’ve been able to help students discover their route in and their career path. I also use my social media platforms to expose people to my everyday working life within construction and to help break the stigma around a young person being within the industry.

Through the the platform I created ‘Girls Under Construction’, I also help to further break the bias through enlightenment. We’ve been able to help advise a few young diverse women already who needed guidance.

Not only have I attended career fairs and visited secondary schools to spread the word, I’ve also visited the Houses of Parliament with the HBF (Home Builders Federation) to talk to MPs about careers in the construction industry for women! On that day HBF also released my featured case study in their report, which will also help to inspire many potential young entrants into the industry, and it will inform other policy makers that house building is an industry in which people aspire to work in.

I’ve had many opportunities to write for publications such as ‘WOTC Magazine’ and more recently ‘Housebuilder Magazine’ about the industry and also about my own journey and experience, all with the hopes and intention of inspiring a young female reader!

What would you say to others to encourage them to #BreaktheBias? 

You’re not too small to work within any industry, there’s a place for everyone. Whatever dream/aspiration/career goal you have, JUST DO IT! Don’t let your fear hinder you, let it push you to do. Connect with other young women who are also breaking the bias daily through their role and seek their advice/support – you’ll be surprised how a conversation can help you!

Chelsie Ratcliffe-Cull
Early Careers Manager

Overbury Plc

What has been your journey into construction?

I left university with a degree in Human Geography but no idea what I wanted to do. I joined Overbury in 2016 as Site Secretary, managing all project documentation and this is where I developed my love for being on site. In 2019, I knew I wanted to stay within Overbury but to explore a different avenue and that is when I joined the HR team. Now I manage our early careers programme and still get to visit project sites every so often.

How have you and/or your company implemented action to #breakthebias?

In the last 12 months, we have worked hard to educate women and girls on careers in the construction sector. A large part of my role is visiting schools, colleges and universities as well as working with the Construction Youth Trust to demonstrate the fantastic opportunities that exist for women in our sector and our business. Since 2021, I have organised work experience, 3 internships and recruited 24 school leavers / graduates of which 54% are female. Additionally, I work with Leonard Cheshire Change 100 Programme to promote internships for graduates with disabilities. Both of our 2021 female interns have successfully accepted permanent roles with us in a sector they previously wouldn’t have thought twice about.

What would you say to others to encourage them to #BreaktheBias? 

Construction – it’s awesome. It’s an environment where people can thrive not just survive.

Emma Jenkins
Inside Sales Manager

ROCKWOOL UK

What has been your journey into construction?

I started working for ROCKWOOL in 1987 as an apprentice and worked my way up to an area sales manager for the merchant sector. In the mid-1990s, I became the youngest woman ROCKWOOL had ever had on the external sales team, something I’m still very proud of.

I decided to leave the world of construction for a time to start a family and set up my own business in bridal fashion – so very different to my previous role – but I couldn’t stay away from the world of insulation.

I returned to ROCKWOOL in 2018, this time as a customer service consultant and I didn’t think twice about whether it was the right decision. Within a year, I was supported in my development, using my previous experience at ROCKWOOL and business acumen, so I helped set up a brand new Inside Sales department.

How have you and/or your company implemented action to #breakthebias?

I help #breakthebias by spreading the word on why this industry is for everyone, especially women who may not have considered it previously due to old fashioned stereotypes.

In my career journey, I’ve been absolutely supported and championed all the way by ROCKWOOL.

How have you worked with WiC?

ROCKWOOL became a platinum partner of Women into Construction last year and I hope to get more involved, alongside other women in our business, to encourage others to consider a career in construction.

What would you say to others to encourage them to #BreaktheBias? 

Women have all the skills required to work in the construction industry. Women have the technical know-how, planning and negotiating skills. There is no good reason why not to!

Sally Kinchin
Community Investment Manager

Wates Construction

What has been your journey into construction?

I joined Wates six years ago, having never worked in the construction industry before. I previously worked for Barclays Bank in IT support for 24 years and left following redundancy. After working in a company for so long, I wanted to do something different. I was fortunate enough to come across the advertisement for a year’s maternity cover with Wates as PA to the Business Unit Director. Wates were keen to help me progress and after a year I became a Site Administrator. It was in this role that I started getting involved in community engagement, which led to me becoming a Community Investment Manager, which I have now done for four years.

Right from the start, I realised what an exciting industry it is to work in, with a great variety of roles. My role now is to work with all the project teams to engage with the local community, schools/colleges and charities and encouraging young people into the construction industry.

How have you and/or your company implemented action to #breakthebias?

I am extremely passionate about encouraging young people into the construction industry, presenting talks at schools and colleges to make students aware of the opportunities available, as well as mentoring apprentices for our Wates Management Training Scheme.

For me, a key part of breaking the bias is challenging preconceptions about construction and introducing women to the diverse career opportunities available, which they may not have otherwise considered.

At Wates, we have just launched a programme to engage 125 women into our business by 2025, aimed at increasing the number of women applying for and working in construction, including apprenticeships, on-site and office-based roles. This is part of our wider plan to improve imbalance, including ensuring that women account for 40% of the company by 2025.

How have you worked with WiC?

As part of our ambition to engage 125 women into our business by 2025, we are working in partnership with Women into Construction to offer four employment programmes over a two-year period that will support women at different stages of their career into a variety of roles within the construction sector.

I had no background in construction before I came to Wates and I am excited to see how this programme will help open opportunities to people like me, ensuring that our industry attracts and hires from a wider, more diverse talent pool.

What would you say to others to encourage them to #BreaktheBias? 

There is a perception that construction is mostly men in hard hats on muddy building sites, but I have seen during my six years at Wates that there is so much more to our industry, with opportunities for people from all walks of life. It is vital that we raise awareness of the careers available, and deliver the right skills and training, to increase the number of women both on and off-site, as well as develop a workforce with a more inclusive mindset.

Jodianne Johnson
Trainee Project Manager

Employed by M Price Limited (supported by Berkeley Group)

What has been your journey into construction?

Jodianne registered with WiC in 2021, looking for support after she was made redundant due to Covid 19. She was looking for a career change and had achieved a construction management level 7 diploma and a project management qualification.

WiC used the B&CE funding to support her to gain a CSCS card. Jodianne then undertook a 2-week placement, organised by Berkeley Group. Jodianne was very proactive and the team at Berkeley were so impressed that they went out to help her find employment and set up an interview for her. She was then taken on by M Price Limited and employed as a Trainee Project Manager starting 20th of September 2021.

How have you and/or your company implemented action to #breakthebias?

Berkeley Group works with WiC to encourage women to find roles in the built environment industry, showing that this is a rewarding sector to build a career in.

How have you worked with WiC?

Berkeley Group met Jodianne as a result of our long-standing partnership with Women Into Construction. We are very proud to be a Platinum Member of WiC, providing work placements, advice, training and employment to women looking to kickstart their careers.

In addition, The Berkeley Foundation has supported WiC through its Community Investment Fund, providing £65,000 in grant funding, enabling the charity to pilot two new approaches to engage diverse groups of young women into careers in construction.

What would you say to others to encourage them to #BreaktheBias? 

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity that was given to me by Women into Construction and Berkeley Group.  As a mother of two, I’m so happy to have found a career that I love, and where I can finish in time to get home to  with my kids.”