In April, I represented MDA Consulting at a careers fair, hoping to encourage females to
join the construction industry. “It’s not all hard hats and steel toe cap boots,” I overheard
someone tell a group of fresh-faced young women. However, the stereotype still
remains that construction equals hard labour: bricklaying, scaffolding and joinery are all
images that spring to mind when asked to conjure up a vision of the industry.
Recent CITB data shows that “the appeal of construction as a career option for young
people is low, scoring just 4.2 out of 10 among 14 to 19 year olds”. With retirement
looming for our aging workforce and a widening skills shortage on the horizon, it’s at
this grassroots level that perception needs to be changed.
As a schoolgirl, there wasn’t much offered to me in the way of careers advice, but had
I known what a vibrant industry this was to work in, I certainly would have considered it
much sooner. I was lucky in the sense that my brother qualified as a quantity surveyor,
so I saw the white-collar side of construction early on.
I’ve just completed my third month as Business Development Executive for MDA,
promoting the business across Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle. And, in my
opinion, there is no better time to have made the leap.
To say the construction industry is booming would be a huge understatement. Across all
major cities, the ever-growing skylines are as effervescent as the inhabitants, bubbling
with anticipation about what’s coming next. But the UK’s skylines aren’t the only thing
that’s changing; the industry itself is.
In 2016, figures revealed that “women in the industry hit a 20-year high, making up
19.9 per cent of the total directly employed construction workforce”. Whilst still far
from an ideal ratio, it’s a promising sign of things to come. With female-led groups
such as Women in Social Housing (WISH) and the National Association of Women In
Construction (NAWIC) flying the flag for diversity, a more inclusive, welcoming appeal
has resulted.
The most surprising part of the industry
for me is its social aspects. Working in
construction is almost like becoming
part of a members’ club, with invites to
networking events and glittering black-tie
functions dropping into email inboxes on
a regular basis. It’s heartening to know
that, as a newcomer, industry veterans are
understanding and helpful, always willing to
go the extra mile to ensure you’re settling
in with ease.
Claire Bennett, Business Development
(Midlands and the North)
FIRST REFLECTIONS ON THE INDUSTRY
