We have read with interest the comments on equality in construction. As the first UK SME to achieve the UKRC SET Fair Standard for gender equality back in 2010, as a company we had to reflect on why we more equally represented society than most.
Bluntly, recruiting the best from the entire working population and not just half of it makes commercial and technical sense for us. However, we need to see those female graduates in order to make that choice.
Just as nursing is no longer seen as an all-female career we have to change the perceptions of civil engineering of those that influence the young. It’s not a question of the Christmas “dolly or digger” but stopping the older voices saying, “girls don’t do that job”.
Role models are essential and we were able to show that at the UKRC 2010 ‘Women mean Business’ conference in a video of site works where project director, design and site engineers, contractor’s agent and dumper driver were all female.
This is powerful stuff in the minds of the young. The rest will come from awakened interest and commercial choice.
Nick Langdon and Jo Strange of CGL, Aldershot
‘This letter was written to the Editor of New Civil Engineering and was published in the 8th December 2011 Issue.’
