Developer pledges to tackle equality head-on

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Nina Strangeways, technical manager
Nina Strangeways, technical manager

Ahead of International Women’s Day next Monday, leading developer Barratt and David Wilson Homes is encouraging more women to consider a career in the construction industry, with a variety of roles available across Cambridgeshire.

Whilst female construction workers have increased steadily over the past 12 years, the proportion of women in the industry is still significantly lower, something which the housebuilder is keen to change. Research figures from the union for construction workers, GMB, showed that if the rate of female employees continues to rise at the rate it is now, women won’t equal men until 2194.

With a number of female employees already in a range of roles across the company, the housebuilder is reminding women from all skill sets of the different roles available and is encouraging them to put their experience to the industry.

Nina Strangeways, who works as a Technical Manager for Barratt and David Wilson Homes, said: “Shaping environments and making a lasting impact for the benefit of the wider community has always been a big passion of mine.

“Every day is different when working in construction. Being on site can be a very exciting and offers new challenges which can be very rewarding.

“We need more women to enter the industry and take on more ‘non-traditional’ roles, challenging the stereotypes that surround it. I have always been one to break down the gender barrier in this male-dominated industry!

“It’s important to not let the perception and image of the industry be a barrier in joining the construction industry. There are plenty of opportunities available for people with a wide range of skills and knowledge sets.”

Andy Richards, Construction Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes Cambridgeshire, said: “We want to quash the age old stereotype that the construction industry is a male dominated field as we have many women who work out on site as well as in office based roles.

“As a leading housebuilder we are fully aware that one of the largest issues surrounding diversity in construction is the number of female employees working within the sector and the current gender imbalance it faces.

“With a range of departments within the company, we want to remind women that there are a variety of different roles that can be offered within the business that have great benefits and excellent opportunities for career progression.

“The construction industry is continuing to grow and this is an exciting time for people with an interest in housebuilding to join a market leading company.

“As the country’s largest developer we are absolutely committed to developing raw talent and support our staff with training.”

According to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the growing housing and infrastructure workload requires the UK to attract 400,000 more recruits a year to meet current industry needs, which equates to one recruit every 77 seconds.

Some roles within the industry include:

Based out on site – Electricians, Plasterers, Engineers, Fork-lift Driver, Scaffolders, Bricklayers, Site Manager, Contracts Manager

Based at Head Office – Architectural Technician, Surveyors, Land and Planning Managers, Estimator, Buyer, Finance Administrator

To find out more about Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ careers, visit https://www.barrattdevelopments.co.uk/ or call 01733 207400.