The Women in Construction Week coincided on International Women’s Day and brought to light the underrepresentation women in construction.
In a sector that is facing a skills shortage, ensuring the future of this industry by increasing the number of women in the workforce is more than just about promoting diversity.
PfP Thrive is the answer. Our new training institute is working to address this crisis. We are working with companies in the construction, housing and property sectors, to provide training, apprenticeships and upskilling options – to ensure women have greater accessibility to the industry.
The breaking point of a workforce
The built-environment’s recruiters and HR leaders are having a difficult time finding talent. In a research paper conducted with the University of Cambridge in 2024, we found that there was a shortage of 140,000 workers across these sectors. 55% of companies are having a difficult time finding skilled workers for key trades like plumbing, bricklaying and carpentry.
Without immediate intervention, through high-quality apprenticeship and training schemes, the sector will not be able meet the UK’s housing and infrastructure needs.
Women breaking down barriers
Women are a talent pool that is largely untapped, despite the pressing skills shortage.
Our research shows that women only make up 0.9% of skilled trades workers – an alarming statistic that reveals deep-rooted barriers. Women are kept out of skilled trades professions by informal hiring practices, lack of role models and stereotypes.
How can we improve this situation?
Two solutions for recruitment and training
First, we must better recruit women. Business needs to be more vocal and proud about promoting women in the construction industry. This means actively hiring women, and making sure they get the same opportunities their male counterparts do. This means showcasing women role models. Representation matters and more visibility encourages the next generation.
We need to develop mentorship programmes and sponsorship programmes to give women the confidence to succeed and to connect with others.
Second, we must retain women by improving training and development. We must first attract women to the sector. We must also support and retain women by investing in skills development targeted to their career.
We must also ensure inclusive workplace cultures which prioritise equal pay, promotion, and leadership opportunities. Finally, we need to eliminate bias and stereotypes within the job roles to make sure women feel welcomed in all areas of the industry.
Collective responsibility
It’s not just a matter of morality. Addressing the gender gap in construction is a business necessity. It’s an essential business requirement. We can’t afford to keep half of the population out of these industries due to the severe shortage in skills.
PfP Thrive has committed itself to leading the change. But we need business leaders, policymakers and industry leaders, to join us. Together, we can create a workforce that is more inclusive, highly skilled and future-proof for the UK.
Now is the time to act. We need you!
