In light of International Women’s Day on Tuesday 8th March, a female Senior Site Manager in Ledbury has lifted the lid on why she took up such a prominent role in the construction industry.
Hayley Chilton (32), who works onsite at Hawk Rise in Ledbury as a Senior Site Manager, first entered the industry in 2012 after finishing her Biology and Geography degree the previous year.
She made her steps with Barratt Homes, having worked in the Customer Care department before moving onto a more hands-on role as a Trainee Assistant Site Manager.
Hayley said:
“My dad worked in construction for 40 years and, when I came out of university, I was unsure about a career path. He recommended a career in construction and that’s where it started! “Once I got the construction bug that was it. I love the daily challenges it brings and the constant evolution of construction methods. I can see a lot of reasons why the sector may not be for everyone; it’s rainy, muddy, stressful and hard work, but for me the good far outweighs the bad.
“The best thing about being onsite is the team, and working outside is a huge bonus, no matter the season.”
International Women’s Day is a day dedicated to promoting equality for women, with the campaign this year looking to #BreakTheBias.
Physical labour roles have long been stereotyped as a male-dominated industry, but the remarkable achievements of those such as Hayley prove that, if you are dedicated and driven, you can achieve anything you want.
Hayley continued:
“I think the industry is perceived by everyone as a male-dominated industry and I don’t think that will change. Women make up such a small percentage on site that it will always be male-dominated. “That being said, there’s no reason as to why women shouldn’t be in this industry. There is no difference in the way I run my site to the way my male counterparts run theirs, and that’s the way it should be.
“It is incredibly important to encourage women to enter our industry; I have seen a substantial increase in the number of women out on site, be it within management or as part of a trade and it’s really fantastic to see.”
Adrian Evans, Managing Director at Barratt Homes West Midlands, said:
“We want to quash the age-old stereotype that the construction industry is a male-dominated field, as we have many women who work out on site as well as in office-based roles.
“As one of the country’s top developers we are absolutely committed to developing new talent and support our staff with training opportunities.”
For more information on homes at Hawk Rise or to make an appointment to visit the Sales team call on 033 3355 8475 or visit www.barratthomes.co.uk/hawkrise.