Women in Construction: Celebrating International Women's Day

This International Women's Day (IWD) the 2023 campaign theme is #EmbraceEquity. The United Nations’ observance of International Women’s Day under the theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”, will be marked by a high-level event on Wednesday, 8 March. The event will bring together technologists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and gender equality activists to provide an opportunity to highlight the role of all stakeholders in improving access to digital tools.

In celebration of International Women's Day, this blog post showcases our strong female workforce in the construction industry in Ireland. With a low rate of representation in the construction industry, as only 3% of women are in manual trades, 5% in engineering, 8% in haulage, and 12% in professional roles, it is evident that more efforts are required to promote diversity and inclusion within the sector.

‍

‍

The Power of Teamwork & Diversity at Built Interiors

This cohesion of uniting for a shared goal is something we experience every day at Built Interiors. Construction is an exciting industry where there is space for a huge range of skills, qualifications, cultures and backgrounds. No one person can complete a project on their own. Whether it’s a fit-out or a design and build, it takes the cumulative effort of many different organisations coming together to realise a shared goal. From suppliers to subcontractors, from consultants to clients, there are multiple different stakeholders needed to bring any project to fruition.

In the same way, within Built Interiors there are so many different departments involved in completing our projects: communication and leadership become key elements. From office workers to site staff, from management to trainees, everyone is important. We see each other as family and approach everything with a team mentality. At the end of the day, we wouldn’t be where we are without each other. The skills, knowledge and expertise across the team are so wide and varied that if one person does not have the answer on a particular task, they can always turn to another team member who will. As a small, agile business we embrace our ability to be flexible with hours and resources so that people are more than a number, their individual circumstances and contributions matter.

To celebrate International Women's Day 2023 we wanted to share the experience of Sabrina who works in our Finance Department. Finance is not always the first thing to come to mind when you think of the construction industry but trust us when we say it’s just as critical as the on-site team! We loved hearing Sabrina’s feedback about her own role and her enthusiastic encouragement for more women to join the construction industry in every form and facet.

‍

‍

Sabrina: my Role in Built Interiors

“My main area of work is in the Finance Dept which I thoroughly enjoy. I have a great working friendship with suppliers and subcontractors, who I speak to every day, and I’ve built so many close relationships. There is respect and trust in every role which is just so important”

In particular, I enjoy the construction industry as it helps us create equality with no divide between men and women. For me it is a great feeling knowing when a job is starting and then seeing pictures of when the job is finished. Knowing that even as an office worker we are all helping each other out to complete the job on time and with no hassle.”, Sabrina shared.

Learning and Growing in the Construction Industry

“My motto is ‘every day is a school day’ and in Built Interiors you’re always learning something new, so you never feel bored within your role. I have learnt so much about construction and I think it’s so important for women to try out this industry.”

“Like many industries we will all face challenges, but I love learning and hearing the feedback from the lads and ‘ladettes’ (aka women) on site. I find if you are a confident hardworking person, it really helps as we all work hard and still have a laugh from time to time.”, she adds.

“Since joining Built Interiors, I have gained a lot more knowledge on the safety and training side of the operations. This is one of the pros of working in a smaller construction company as your tasks are so varied.”

‍

‍

Support for Mental Health Advocacy

“At the minute I am doing a Mental Health First Aid course which is absolutely fascinating. I have a huge interest in Mental Health and Wellbeing and the management team supported and encouraged me to pursue my passion in this area. I regularly send out emails to employees in relation to Mental Health Awareness as it can be such a taboo topic especially in construction.”

“Mental health affects everyone regardless of gender, age or background and I really appreciate being given the opportunity to help people who may be struggling. While mental health can clearly affect people in every industry, I’ve realised that not every industry, or even company for that matter, is willing to pay for dedicated training to try to overcome this challenge. I really value being in a company that does.”

“I am just very lucky to work with a team that supports its employees in the way Built Interiors does. My work life and family life all balance out very well as I work from home and from the office, which creates less stress and more success.”

‍

‍

Join our Force in Construction this International Women's Day

Our people don’t simply work for the company, our people are the company. We’re like a family unit where there’s a sense of trust and reassurance on every project.

We are always on the look-out for passionate people with different backgrounds, cultures and experiences. This IWD we would like to particularly encourage any women considering a career in construction to reach out to us. Break the bias and we could build something exceptional together.

If you or someone you know is looking to join an environment where people are valued, nurtured and rewarded then get in touch with us today.