Engaging female employees at technical and professional status in the South Wales construction sector

The construction industry in South Wales mirrors the remainder of the UK relative to numbers of the female workers employed as technicians and professionals including architectural technicians, project managers and surveyors in the built environment; the gender imbalance equates for 11.6% of those working in design and management occupations. Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) such as ConstructionSkills have attempted to raise the number of female operatives in trade, technical and professional levels with initiatives such as the awareness raising campaign 'Positive Image'. Factors such as industry image, male domination, the possible lack of peers, family influences and ineffective promotion of the industry are arguably detractors from female school leavers adopting roles in the sector. Ultimately the influence of potential employers cannot be ignored on the impact on the intake of female recruits. Although the abovementioned initiative amongst others have admirably attempted to address the current imbalance, it is argued that a more effective and sustained approach to attracting females at pre school-leaver age will be necessary to break the 'glass ceiling'. This paper explores the thoughts and opinions of female built environment technicians and professionals, potential employees and employers in South Wales through discursive interviews. Ultimately, through concerted, positive industry promotion focussing at pre school-leavers, a more effective and sustained approach towards recruitment may be derived to increase the uptake of a poorly utilized and under-recognized labour force available to the sector.