International Women's Day 2025: Women In Construction

Construction isn’t just about hard hats and heavy lifting; it’s about creativity, innovation, and problem solving. Despite the industry evolving in recent years, there’s still work to be done to encourage more women to see construction as an exciting and rewarding career choice.

Emily Guttridge, Quantity Surveyor at Claremont says “A lot of information online talks about how women in the construction industry face issues such as the gender pay gap and experiencing gender bias in the workplace. However, my personal experience of being a woman in construction has been far from this. I feel a sense of empowerment in breaking stereotypes and contributing to a fundamental industry. At Claremont I have been able to develop a strong sense of confidence, resilience, and camaraderie with my team. Plus, the hands-on nature of the work and satisfaction of seeing a project come to life is highly rewarding”

Why Women in Construction is so important

For a long time, the construction industry has been stereotyped as a man’s industry, but the reality is very different. Women are making waves in every part of the industry – from project management, quantity surveying, and interior design.

Lisa Flannery, Deputy MD at Claremont said “when I joined Claremont 35 years ago, being a female in construction was very different.  The industry was predominantly male dominated, it was unusual to see women on site, often you would be a lone female in a sea of males, which could be quite intimidating. Fortunately for me, Claremont challenged this stereotypical image and were encouraging and fully supportive of developing females within the industry”

Today, women are proving that construction is for everyone, and their presence is crucial for the industry’s future.

Grace Eley, Interior Designer at Claremont, says “a diverse design team means a broader range of perspectives, which leads to better, more human-centric solutions. Having a diverse project team provides a variety of voices in the room which helps create spaces that truly work for everyone”.

Ultimately, when more women are involved in construction projects, we see more inclusive designs, better collaboration, and a stronger workforce. And let’s be honest – the industry needs talent! With an ongoing skills shortage, attracting more women into construction is essential to keep our industry thriving.

What is the percentage of women in construction?

While there’s still a long way to go, progress is happening. Data from The Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests that women currently make up around 15% of the UK construction workforce, 325,000 women compared to 1.8million men (Q4 2024).

Is this increasing?

Yes! Although 15% may not seem huge, it still shows an increase of almost 3% from since just before the pandemic: 288,000 women compared to 2.3million men (Q4 2019). This increase is proof that change is happening, and more women are considering careers in the sector. However, female representation in senior roles remains low, showing that there’s still room for improvement when it comes to career progression and leadership opportunities.

“Women in leadership can bring a different perspective to the construction industry. We often have other skills and life experiences we able to draw on and of course we are experts at multi-tasking. It’s important we challenge the stereotype that women in construction are only in ‘support’ roles and give our young females opportunity and support to continue to disrupt the status quo” –  Lisa Flannery

More initiatives are needed to support and encourage women into construction careers, from mentorship schemes to flexible working policies that make the sector more accessible. The more visible and celebrated female role models we have in construction, the more young women will be inspired to follow in their footsteps.

Lizzie Wilson, Operations and Delivery Manager at Claremont highlights the importance of supporting women through flexible working policies, “Inclusivity and gender equality has always been at the heart of Claremont’s ethos & culture. Having become a mother during my time at Claremont, they have always been incredibly supportive and flexible allowing me to work around a young family. I had regular keep in touch days with my team throughout my maternity to stay connected and always felt included”

Why it matters to Claremont

At Claremont, we’re all about designing and building inspiring workplaces. And we know that having a diverse team is key to creating spaces that work for everyone. That’s why we’re passionate about seeing more women in the construction industry.

Grace Eley joined Claremont as a graduate, and says “My experience has been positive, especially at Claremont, where I’ve always felt my ideas are valued. That being said, I have noticed moments where the industry still leans towards being quite male-dominated, particularly in technical discussions or on-site meetings. From the start, I was encouraged to take ownership of projects, which helped me develop confidence early on. It’s been invaluable to be surrounded by a team that’s always happy to share knowledge.”

As a design and build company, we see first-hand how important it is to have a range of voices shaping our projects. Whether it’s interior designers, project managers, or quantity surveyors, having a varied team leads to better results. We’re committed to championing inclusivity, supporting career development, and making construction a welcoming industry for all. 15% of our current 130 staff have joined through our academy programme, which includes apprenticeships, internships and graduate schemes. Alongside this, we work with our contractors to grow relationships with local schools and colleges to expose the talent of tomorrow to the construction industry. Ensuring the next generation have an understanding of our industry, and the opportunities it presents.

Here at Claremont, celebrating women in construction isn’t just one week, it’s our day-to-day. Women in Construction Week provides a spotlight for us to celebrating all the incredible women who are changing the game, breaking down barriers, and proving that construction isn’t just a man’s world – it’s for everyone.

Join the story…

Find more about our long history of championing inclusivity and diversity and read all about our incredible team of people!

Feeling inspired? View our current vacancies here and join the Claremont story…