This year’s Women in Construction Week coincides with a landmark moment for Bluebay – the appointment of our first female Managing Director, Lucy Furnival, who is leading our growth across the UK.
In this article, Lucy reflects on the changes needed to encourage more women into construction and the building trade – helping to tackle the industry’s widening skills shortage in the process.
Women have been at the forefront of industry conversations this week. Women in Construction Week and International Women’s Day this Saturday present a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women in our sector.
But celebration alone isn’t enough. Women remain hugely underrepresented in construction, making up just 0.9% of the skilled trades workforce. Informal hiring practices, outdated stereotypes, and a lack of visible role models all contribute to the barriers women face when entering the industry.
This needs to change. We must rethink recruitment models, invest in mentorship, celebrate female leaders, and challenge the ingrained biases that continue to hold women back. Doing so will not only create a fairer industry but will also help address the critical skills shortage threatening the future of construction.
Having worked in this sector for three decades, I know first-hand that challenges remain, but I also see more women carving a path forward, paving the way for future generations.
Awareness weeks like this are a great starting point, and it’s been inspiring to see so many organisations championing and uplifting women in our sector. My hope is that this year’s efforts drive real, lasting change, because a stronger, more inclusive industry benefits us all.