Leading family-owned painting company Bagnalls is proud to announce it has joined the Women in Construction scheme, pledging to increase female representation in the sector and improve women’s experiences in male dominated sectors. 

Key Findings: 

• Women comprise just 14% of the UK’s workforce in the construction sector.
• Across Europe, the average percentage of female apprentices in vocational educational training is 1-2%. 
• 13% of UK construction firms are owned by women; 9% of these have an annual turnover more than £500,000.
• 73% of women feel passed over for roles because of their gender.

Women are severely underrepresented in construction, with just 14% of all workers in the sector being female. Sadly, this issue exists at all levels; 13% of UK construction firms are owned by women, and just 1-2% of apprentices in vocational construction training are female. 

Meanwhile, 73% of women feel as though they have been passed over for roles and promotions because of their gender, indicating an institutional bias in the construction sector.

As well as joining the Women in Construction program, Bagnalls has pledged to take steps to tackle the issue across the company. The scheme provides access to job shops, which allows Bagnalls to recruit women looking for a career in construction at the apprentice and management level. 

As part of the scheme, Bagnalls will also be offering practical work placements for women, enabling female workers to find hands-on experience within the construction industry. Bagnalls will also help facilitate women’s career progress via a mentoring and advice scheme designed to support women to make inroads into construction or advance their existing role.

Ellie Jobes, HR Director at Bagnalls, comments: “The Women in Construction scheme has helped us condense our aims as a company and provide a more focused strategy for increasing diversity in our sector. 

We have the opportunity to help improve opportunities and experiences for women at all levels of the construction industry. Through practical work placements, we can foster long-term relationships with women working in our sectors, helping further progress their career.”

About Bagnalls:

Family-owned for 145 years, Bagnalls is a specialist painting, decorating and construction company operating across a wide range of sectors from heritage properties and commercial premises to utilities and rail. Through community projects and partnerships, Bagnalls aims to offer opportunities to people from a vast range of backgrounds.