INDUSTRY COMMENT
How the BEMS sector can help encourage greater female representation
Encouraging more young females to start careers in the building energy management systems (BEMS) industry could hold the
key to reducing the growing skills gap in the sector, and the built environment as a whole. Stacey Lucas, President of the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) says this could be crucial
given the sector has a long way to go until there is an even split in terms of male and female representation.
T
his is reflected in the latest reports from Engineering UK, which suggest women only represent 16.9% of the UK’s engineering and technology workforce, compared to the 56% of female representation in other professional sectors. While the number of female professionals in science, engineering, and ICT remains concerningly low, there is room for optimism. Indeed, recent STEM apprenticeship figures indicate a rise in female participation – climbing from 15.8% in 2022 to 17.7% in 2024. The recent rise may be encouraging, but the overall low
percentage of female professionals in the building controls sector is a stark reminder that more needs to be done to encourage more young females into the industry.
Placement opportunities and apprenticeships
While the sector, and the construction industry as a whole, is crying out for more young talent – especially
with around 31% of UK construction workers aged between 50 and 64 – the built environment tends to look for ready-made people. However, the industry should take this opportunity to embed workforce development into a strategy that invests not only in high-level apprenticeships but also into workforce development as a whole. More companies need to open up further placement opportunities and apprenticeship schemes to benefit their workforces and ensure a greater future for the building automation sector. Furthermore, the BCIA, policy makers, and industry leaders need to work together to increase investment in higher-level apprenticeships to bridge the gap between foundational and actual industry experience.
Simplify and improve understanding
There are likely to be many young females currently at school that have a real passion for sustainability, software, or engineering, but have no idea about the variety of fascinating opportunities this sector can present. Awareness could be increased by providing hands-on experience with tools used in the field to illustrate how they can be used correctly or effectively or enabling industry professionals to talk to local school and college pupils about the importance of building automation in the fight against climate change.
Many young people may be hesitant to invest in training or apprenticeships in the industry because they believe roles are too technical for them due to a misconception or misunderstanding, so the language used when detailing design, manufacture, specification, and installation of BEMS needs to be simplified. By increasing communication and transparency, the sector can provide female students and those soon-to-be leaving education with what they need to make informed decisions about their futures.
More inclusive workplaces
Concerns over balancing work and personal lives can sometimes be a barrier for female professionals, so industry leaders and business owners should consider the implementation of flexible work schedules and family-friendly benefits to encourage more experienced women into the industry.
Additionally, unconscious bias training for all employees involved in promotions and hiring decisions could create an inclusive and supportive workplace that values women and men equally. Furthermore, showcasing the successful female engineers and consultants could help to inspire young girls and illustrate that women can truly excel in the industry. Women have played a vital role in the advancement of technology and energy efficiency in the past decade. However, there is still much more to be done, and the BCIA, along with industry leaders and policy makers, has a major part to play in encouraging more female professionals into the sector.
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