SHE BUILDS UK: Spotlighting female representation in the construction industry

For architectural photographer Neil Perry, nine words and two sentences were all it took for his passion project to spring into action:

'I can't be a builder. Only men are builders'.

Uttered by his 7-year-old daughter Jessie on a routine walk to an after-school club in the summer of 2022, those words would reverberate through him. Not only did they expose just how impressionable children can be, but how persistent gender stereotypes are in the information they consume. How could he reshape her worldview?

The answer was simple: he needed to be the change he wanted her to see. And so, SHE BUILDS UK was born: a free portrait photography exhibition showcasing 60 women in the UK construction industry with the goal of inspiring women of all ages to consider a career in the field. It would run from 17th May – 8th June 2023 and take place at The Building Centre in London.

Here's what happened when we took a trip to the UK capital to see it for ourselves.

Why SHE BUILDS UK?

We're a company that takes diversity and inclusion seriously. We're made up of women and men in equal measure, with a core belief that the power tool and built industries can only thrive when we all work together and share ideas.

We also recognise the challenges faced by women in the built industry, having spoken to several tradeswomen about their experiences (read our series of interviews for International Women's Day if you haven't already). As such, we resonate with this project in the sense that it is an expansion of our own, with new experiences to listen to, engage with and feel inspired by.

At the end of the day, the statistics speak for themselves. We need more women in trades.* With a shared interest and objective, we feel that, by platforming this event, we can widen the conversation and make real change within the industry, bringing more women into positions they once thought to be unattainable.

Because no one should ever have to limit their potential for the sake of their gender.

The exhibition

'Inspiring females to consider working in the construction industry, by celebrating those that already do' – SHE BUILDS UK**

Location: The Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London, WC1E 7BT

Date: 30th May 2023

It is natural for women to take more of an interest in this topic. After all, we are tied by our shared experience of living as a female no matter where we come from or what we do.

I think about this as myself and my colleague (both female) enter the exhibition: fully engaged in our surroundings. There's an array of female faces on the walls, diverse in age ranges, ethnicities and backgrounds, all with one thing in common: they're here to tell their stories as women in a male-dominated industry. Not only that, but they're here to show what the field has to offer for women like them.

Volunteers, L-R: Lina Slimpi, Caroline Metcalf & Katie Kelleher

If their biographies are anything to go by, working in construction is a mainly positive experience that allows for many opportunities to grow and learn. That's not to say it doesn't come with its challenges, but the overall impression is that the good outweighs the bad when you truly love what you do.

One of 60 'Rockstars', Channelle Crawford

This is why Neil calls his volunteers, 'The Rockstars'. Together, they're overcoming prejudice and tackling gender biases one career goal at a time: Architect Lina Slimpi successfully embarked on a career change into project management despite feeling less valued than her male counterparts. Senior Business Development Manager Caroline Metcalf took on her first overseas assignment as a construction supervisor in 1989 as the only woman on the site team. Trainee Assistant Site Manager Channelle Crawford followed in her grandfather's footsteps to work in construction after initially doubting her abilities due to her gender. And the list goes on.

Moreover, Neil does his best to engage a young audience at the event, with a double-sided activity sheet that, if filled in fully and correctly, can be entered into a prize draw (what you win is uncertain). There are 10 questions in total (answers to which can be hunted for in the ladies' biographies; e.g. 'Who has been to 30 countries?') along with one on the back that asks, 'Which of our volunteers is your favourite and why?'

While a far cry from my childhood (hello grey hairs!) I take an activity sheet and fill it in, answering 'Caroline Metcalf' to the latter question – purely because I feel she must have developed a thick skin in the early days of her career as a veteran in the construction industry, which I admire. She also worked on London's Elizabeth Line, which is rather impressive!

It doesn't end there, though. Below the final question is a blank box asking the entrant to draw a picture of a builder. I see an angle at play and begin to draw, rather reluctantly (I've not drawn anything since I was a child in Art class), a female construction worker with a Bob the Builder hat and long-handle digging spade.

In my view, this is Neil's subliminal way of asking school-age children – just like his daughter Jessie – 'Do you think women can be builders now?' If not for my age and abysmal drawing skills, I think I passed the test with flying colours.

For the full list of Neil Perry's Rockstars, visit https://www.shebuilds.uk/the-rockstars
Keep up to date with SHE BUILDS UK on their official website: https://www.shebuilds.uk/

SHE BUILDS UK, in Neil Perry's words

Following the event, we got in contact with event organiser Neil and asked him to tell us more about SHE BUILDS UK and what the plan is for the future ahead. Here's his response:

'SHE BUILDS UK is about celebrating and inspiring. I want to celebrate women who are already breaking down barriers and working in the construction industry (including those that are on higher and further education courses connected to STEM and construction subjects). And I want them to be rockstars of the industry so that they can inspire younger females to consider the industry in their later career choice.

At the same time, it's about helping men of all ages to see that women can and do play an important role in the industry, and that they can be just as qualified as men. We're still working on future plans because we have lots of options. But I can tell you we absolutely plan to work with schools more closely and hope to design a programme where our rockstars can be involved in visiting and talking to young people'.

Neil would also like to thank his sponsors, AECOM and Betchel for building a better world and making this exhibit possible.

Gallery

Enjoy a few more photos from the exhibition below. With thanks to our Design Team for their awesome photography skills! We think we captured the event pretty well.

Outside The Building Centre, London	Neil's daughter's impactful words
Volunteers, L-R: Sophia Stylianou, Katie Cardwell & Kelley Byars	SHE BUILDS UK stickers and pens