Pro Installer October 2019 - Issue 79 | Page 27

OCTOBER 2019 | 27 Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk 4. Address the gender imbalance 5. Embrace modern methods of construction Part of the problem is that construction is a historically male-dominated industry. Be- tween 2007 and 2016, reports found that the number of women workers in construction only rose by 0.7%, resulting in an incredibly low 12.8% total. But it’s not just workers in the industry, near- ly half of construction workers claimed that they have never had a female manager. Whatever the role, women in construction are being over- looked. As women make up half of the population, it seems crazy that the industry is ignoring so much potential talent that it sorely needs to help fill the skills gap. Educating female students is a crucial step that companies need to take, as only 22% currently work with schools to help break the stigma of construction. But it’s not just about attracting more women to the industry — com- panies need to make sure they’re not ignoring their current talent due to their gender. For example, the international infrastructure group Balfour Beatty has taken strides to address gender inequal- ity by introducing an initiative to support women through career breaks for childcare. The government has already been warned by the Housing, Communities and Local Govern- ment Committee that an over-re- liance on traditional building methods will see the UK fall short of its home-building targets. To keep the industry on target, construction companies need to look outside the norm and em- brace more modern techniques. From off-site construction, manu- facturing and assembly to modular constructions, there are a number of avenues companies can take to improve efficiency while maintain- ing quality. “The construction industry is always changing,” says Daniel Ure from online PPE retailer Vizwear. “We’re constantly seeing exciting new innovations that allow us to work smarter and more efficient- ly.” “In order to make the most of new industry methods, it’s vital that new talent is found to close the skills gap. Construction is still trying to shake off its past image, but by pooling its resources into educating and training future gen- erations and current talent, the in- dustry can ensure it’s recruiting the right workers to hit its targets.” www.vizwear.com Skills