In association with
NEWS
Contractors’ Corner
A
ccording to a female associate director at Birmingham’s Building
Services Design (BSD), education is the key to showing that the construction industry is no longer seen as exclusively a ‘man’s job’. Jo Jones has been promoted to
associate director at the mechanical and engineering company, as the first woman in the business to take on the senior role. At the end of last year, data from
the Office for National Statistics revealed women formed just 12.8% of the construction workforce – only 0.7% more than in 2007, just before the recession. Ms Jones said: “Despite the
figures, things are changing and I think women are starting to recognise that there is a career for them in engineering and construction. “There is still a massive gap, it
is a slow process, and I think we need to start promoting the jobs available to women while they are still in school.
“Construction is a great career
path; it’s not all about being on a building site in a hard hat. People need to realise the opportunities available to them because development and infrastructure is important for the whole country.” Ms Jones joined BSD in 2008 as
a computer-aided design (CAD) technician and office administrator. She said: “I fell into the industry
by accident. I originally went to college for three years and studied product design, but in my first two jobs in the construction and property industry I was given the opportunity to learn CAD. “I moved to BSD in 2008, just
Jo Jones, associate director at BSD. “Women have a lot more freedom
of choice now – they can have a career in the industry while balancing their families and social life. It doesn’t faze them. I think that’s what will fill the skills gap eventually – as long as we start showing women what is available to them and re-educating people.
as the recession hit, and I have progressed into the position I’m in now. I’ve been fortunate to get involved in the business development side of BSD, which means I’m able to network and form strong client relationships. “I’m now the first woman within
the business to hold the associate director title. I think it shows that promotions within BSD are not
gender specific. You are judged on your abilities and dedication to the job, not on whether you are male or female. “There are three female
engineers and nine male engineers in the Birmingham office and we’re working hard to achieve a gender balance in the business.” The m&e company has had a
presence in Birmingham for 10 years, with 80 employees across its seven UK offices. David White, managing director
at BSD said: “There are very few women in the industry, especially in senior management roles. Here at BSD, we are doing all we can to eliminate the stigma attached to construction and engineering being a ‘man’s job’. “Jo is a fantastic role model for
young women who need to see examples of strong, successful females in construction. “She has worked her way up
the ranks since she started at BSD almost 10 years ago and has been committed to the company.”
Thermofrost D Exclusive UK Distributor
Authorised UK Distributor 10 November 2017
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