Our apprentice electrician, Claire, is championing the need for more women in trades, helping the sector continue to level up opportunities and build strong, diverse teams as the sector marks Women in Construction Week.
Former chef, Claire Humphries was unexpectedly made redundant at the age of 46, leaving her at a crossroads as she weighed up the next step for her career.
She attended our Women in Trades Day in 2021, which gave women the chance to try plumbing, bricklaying and carpentry while showcasing career opportunities. The experience increased Claire’s determination to gain a career in trades and she joined LiveWest as an apprentice electrician.
Claire Humphries, our Apprentice Electrician, said: “There were a couple of women on my course, which was nice. It's becoming more open but I don't think there's many places that are as forward thinking as LiveWest.
“I'm very hands-on with stuff, but I also like to actually get my hands dirty and then you've done a good day's work.
“I haven't personally had any barriers to trades, I've enjoyed it. We should have a lot more women in the industry. The door is open and it's getting wider, there'll be more of us so it'll be great."
She added that seeing the immediate results of her work makes the job deeply rewarding. While some still hold outdated views, Claire feels her experience has been overwhelmingly positive.
Claire said: “It’s rewarding because if a light’s not working and you fix it, you can see the end results. You still get some people who think women shouldn’t be there. LiveWest should actually be proud of what they've done to promote it and to get more women into trades."
Exeter-based Claire, credits our Director of Property Services, Liane Manley, for being a strong advocate for women in trades and for helping LiveWest to build strong pathways with opportunities.
The support she’s received from LiveWest has made a real difference, particularly in helping women level up their skills and access opportunities they might not otherwise consider.
During her college course, Claire found herself one of just three women in a class of 21, but she hopes the number will improve as more women feel encouraged to enter the sector.
Claire said: “I think it will come and the colleges cater for women too. Without Liane pushing for it, I'm not sure LiveWest would even have gone down this route, I think what she's done is amazing.
"When you go on an apprentice day, you see how many more women are there and not only enjoying it, but being given the chance to do a trade."
Claire believes LiveWest is making meaningful progress but acknowledges there’s still a way to go.
Claire said: “There are still some ceilings to break, those glass ceilings exist everywhere, not just in LiveWest and until we get rid of those ideologies we still have some improvements.
“But I don’t feel any different from anyone else in the team, and that shows the organisation is moving in the right direction. There's women in senior roles, but not in higher up roles so that could help."
She also emphasises the unique strengths women bring to customer facing roles, particularly when working in people’s homes.
Claire said: “We bring a lot to the table, we're in people's homes and your house is your home, it's very special. I'm speaking to residents and they say, ‘oh, it's so lovely to chat’. So we approach things differently and that is valued.
“Going forwards it won’t be too long before we are running the roost! Residents get used to seeing women and it's a breath of fresh air.”
Now nearing the end of her apprenticeship, Claire is excited about the future and hopes more women will follow her path.
She added: “As long as you're going to work for it, whether you’re male or female, as it's not for the faint hearted especially in electrics. We do have to try harder to get women in the sector, there's so much that you can get stuck in to, it's an amazing world.”