Women in Construction (WIC) Week celebrates and promotes the role of women in the industry and Coastline continues to highlight its importance.
Led by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), the annual week highlights challenges, raises awareness of opportunities, and aims to foster a more inclusive, diverse, and supportive sector.
Coastline has numerous fantastic women fulfilling various vital roles, so we had a chat with just a few of them to learn about their experiences in the sector.
Jo Harley, senior development manager at Coastline, said: “I started off working in local council after studying a geography degree. I came into a housing association because providing housing for people who need them means my moral compass points in the right direction.”
She added: “Development teams take houses from the beginning all the way through planning, through construction to the end. My best day is when you get to finish homes and hand over keys to residents, because it’s what we’re doing it for. We’re providing affordable homes for people who need them.”
Jo, who has been working in development for more than 15 years, said that the construction industry needs more women at all levels.
“There are female site managers and we have one on site at a current development in Penzance. We have female architects and females doing the jobs that I do. But we need it wider across the industry and definitely in the trades,” she added.
Hannah Trewhella-Blatt, deputy painting and repairs supervisor, said: “We can do anything from pressure washing, all the crack repairs, painting and clean-downs - so we do a wide variety of the repairs and painting.”
Previously a TA in primary schools before running her own business for ten years, Hannah has been working for Coastline for three years.
“I’m a hands-on girl and I like being outside, so it suits me down to the ground. Everyone is so nice and Coastline have been so supportive of me being here.
“I’ve even been pregnant doing this job and I worked until I was in my second trimester – that was a bit more challenging!” she said.
According to the Construction Industry Helpline website, women currently make up around 15 per cent of the construction workforce in the UK, with approximately 340,000 women employed in the sector.
However, representation in manual trades remains at just one per cent, and only seven per cent of executive roles in construction are held by women.
As construction faces an urgent skills shortage, with an estimated 250,000 additional workers needed by 2027, women represent a key opportunity to help close this gap and drive the industry forward.
Chris Weston, Coastline’s director of Development and Commercial Services, said: “We know that the construction sector has an imbalance towards older male workers at all levels and this is emphasised even more on site.
“Attracting women into all types of roles in construction including trade, technical and management roles is really important particularly as it helps to bring fresh and diverse perspectives, strengthens team dynamics and ultimately leads to us building and maintaining better homes.”
He added: “We particularly want to see young women growing up in Cornwall to see Construction as having a really great range of career opportunities and we are excited that we can demonstrate that this is not only possible, but encouraged at all levels and across our supply chain.”