We are using Women in Construction Week to highlight the breadth of career paths available to women in the housing industry.
With the Government looking to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years, and LiveWest pushing forward with a strong development plan, attracting a diverse workforce will be critical.
One of the women helping to drive this progress is Debra Saunders, our Sales and Marketing Director. When she first stepped into the construction industry over 25 years ago, it looked very different.
She began her career in Estate Agency, progressing steadily until she was handed responsibility for a new homes site.
Debra Saunders, Sales and Marketing Director for LiveWest, said: “It wasn’t anything like it is now, they literally just said we need to sell these new houses, so I did!
“Going onto a construction site now and being able to use my own ideas about how to market and sell was a turning point, I put myself on site and worked directly with the customers, building strong relationships in a more constructive way.
“But the industry has evolved enormously from respect to Health and Safety, everything has got so much better. You were the only female on site working with a male Site Manager, which is still largely true of today, there were no women.
“I walk around the sites that I have now and still feel a little disappointed that all these years later, I very seldom see a female working on site. We don't appear to be attracting females into the industry on the ground as much as I believe we could.”
Our dedication to equality is embedded not only in its work and our environment, but also in its ambitious housing programme, which will deliver 5,000 affordable new homes over the next five years.
With the number of homes needed, the housing sector will also be looking to more women to fill these roles over the coming years.
Debra believes the industry must do more to help women see construction as a viable, fulfilling career, starting with earlier conversations about the range of roles available.
She said: “There's a lot for women to go for, and they just need to be exposed to what's available so that they can see what's on offer. If we got that right, we would see more women coming into construction from the start.
“It’s a very different career. But if you're passionate about housing it can be a very fulfilling career. Every day is a school day; the industry moves so fast and sites change so quickly.
“It’s an interesting career which does take some resilience as well, and you haven't to mind the wet or cold winters too much! If you're a female walking into what's been a male-orientated industry, it will come with its challenges, and it can be still quite hard work to break through, but things are changing.”
She is now seeing women on housing boards and as directors, and although encouraged, she still believes more could be down on the ground.
With huge training programmes as you progress through on offer from LiveWest and other companies too, there is a lot out there for women to succeed in this industry.
She added: “Everything I do is shaped by what I’ve learned along the way. LiveWest has been amazing for me, the knowledge, the support, the opportunity to grow. That support network is so important.
“Women bring balance and a different perspective to decision making and progress. That diversity is essential to moving the sector forward.”