Industry News
Breaking down gender stereotypes in the workplace
With research showing that 21 % of British women are considering employment within the trades post-Covid . Ben Dyer , CEO of Powered Now , discusses the opportunities within the trades for women …
» THE MAKE UP OF THE MODERN DAY private sector is incomparable to that of just 50 years ago , with gender stereotypes of what people can and can ’ t achieve continually being broken down . One leading example of this is within the construction and trade sectors , which in recent years have begun to witness an influx of women pursuing careers within these fields . Last year , research conducted by Direct Line found that there were more than twice as many women working in trade professions including electricians , plumbers and construction workers in the UK than ten years ago .
Now however , it seems that the pandemic has piqued female interest in pursuing a career in the trades . Indeed , female-led businesses in the trades have provided motivation for women seeking new ventures . Businesses such as 5 Star Pest Control , founded by Lin French , have demonstrated the it is indeed possible to break the mould of what a CEO in the trades should look like . Indeed , new research from field service management software Powered Now has shown that 21 % of women in the UK during the last 12 months have considered a career in the trades . Of those 21 %, the following careers were the most popular :
1 . Handywomen 2 . Bathroom & Kitchen fitting 3 . Roofing 4 . Decorations and Painting 5 . Extension providers There is good reason for this increasing interest for female roles in the trades too . Powered Now ’ s research has further uncovered that 15 % of women currently within the trades has seen their client demand reach to a record high during the pandemic . With home improvements going through a period of rapid growth - the market research provider Kantar has indicated that £ 4.94 billion was spent on home improvements last year , £ 552 million than the previous 12 months - now presents an opportune moment for women to pursue careers in the trades .
Ben Dyer , CEO of Powered Now , has commented on the increasing influence of women in the trades .
“ In a turn of events , the pandemic has highlighted that the trades is a haven for employment , and perhaps has been an unexpected catalyst to help move the industry closer to gender parity . It isn ’ t often that you associate International Women ’ s Day with construction , but hopefully people will start to recognise the careers that are indeed available to women .
“ Of course , as more women pursue careers in the trades , it will help to dismantle the trope the manual labour is just for men . We have found that existing businesses in the trades run by women can often be the most innovative , with female-only trade SMEs providing a service for those who are uneasy who they allow in their homes . Therefore , we would like to use this celebratory day to recognise the innovation that women bring to our sector , and hope that 2021 is a year in which we see these trends continue to flourish .”
www . powerednow . com
Are you a female locksmith or security installer ? Please get in touch with gemma @ cvgroup . co . uk
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MAR / APR 2021
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