However, recent analysis reveals that more young women are beginning careers in the construction industry than ever before.

Despite this growth, there is still considerable work required to enhance diversity within the construction sector.

To commemorate International Women’s Day 2024, Clive Holland, broadcaster on Fix Radio — the UK's only national radio station dedicated to tradespeople — was joined by four inspiring tradeswomen to discuss the challenges of working in the trade and how to get more women on the tools.

A recent Morgan Siddall report titled "Are we Gen Z ready?" stated that 57% of women and girls are deterred from pursuing careers in construction due to their perception of it as male dominated. 

Backing this notion is data published by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) which indicates that only 12.37% of engineers in the UK are female.

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As a result of this, the construction sector still falls far behind other industries in terms of gender balance, with only 14.7% of those employed in the industry being women, nearly 33% lower than the UK average.

Kimmy the Sparks, an electrician, Pixie Perez-Garcia, a heating engineer, Kornelia Dziewicka, an electrician and Maria Kinsella, a plumber, heating engineer and electrician — shed light on their trajectories as tradeswomen, the view on tradeswomen, and how more women on the tools can bridge the skills gap within the construction industry.

Pixie said: “There are too few apprenticeships coming in regardless of gender, coupled with a huge skills deficit, and there is such a massive recruitment pool of women; but it’s always university driven, and never vocational skill set driven.”

Maria commented: “More exposure across social media, more normalizing women in construction are key to get more women on the tools.

“It should not come as a shock when a woman turns up when you’ve called for a plumber or an electrician.”

Kornelia added: “People are not really surprised when they walk into a flower shop and see a male florist or walk into a hospital and see a male nurse.

“The same should apply when you see a female tradesperson.”