The construction and infrastructure industry is facing a sizeable skills shortage, and part of the root cause of this is the view that it can’t be an industry where everyone can find their place.
I believe that many women don’t enter the construction industry because of the historical view of masculine, manual work. However, the narrative within the industry is changing; in all stages of their careers, women are thriving and learning that there are opportunities across every industry. There is still much more that needs to be done, starting with selling the prospects to women by understanding their differing priorities when looking for work. It is important to offer flexibility in hours and other facets of work/life balance, including maternity and parental leave, whilst also making women feel comfortable to push for what they deserve, to request promotions, and leave to have a child without being discriminated against – consciously or otherwise.
At FM Conway, we have brilliant women across all areas of the business including our commercial teams, project management, design engineers, quantity surveyors, traffic management operatives, HGV drivers, and many more. FM Conway has supported my career aspirations through learning and development opportunities including our internal Great Leaders programme which I completed two years ago. I have also been supported through the chartered management institute level 3 qualification in management and have since gone on to support other women in their development through our various mentoring programmes.
FM Conway has set out our initiative of 30 by 30 – 30% women in our workforce by 2030 – and the recruitment team are heavily involved in reaching this goal. We have already reached 17.1% women in the business, which is well above industry standard at 13.6%, and in September FM Conway won the award for Excellence in Recruitment and Retention at the 2025 Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering Awards.
I joined FM Conway to work within an ‘in-house’ recruitment team, and my own experience in career development has helped shape not only how I promote the business, but also the initiatives that I have been a part of. One of the key parts of my role is to help to coordinate events and partnerships which promote women’s positions in the construction sector. There’s something for everyone within the industry, so ignore the old stereotypes and find a career which allows you to be your best.
For National Inclusion Week, we sat down with Matthew Chapman, Infrastructure Manager in our IT Department, to hear about his journey with neurodiversity, his experiences as a parent, and how inclusion has shaped both his leadership style and personal growth.
This Careers in Construction Month, hear from Hannah Purnell, one of the Talent Managers in our Learning and Development Team, as she talks about her role, the opportunities available at FM Conway, and why apprenticeships are a great first step into the industry.
This Careers in Construction Month hear from our Apprentice Assistant Specialist Surfacing Coordinator, Libby, about her choice to leave school at 16 and find her place in the construction industry.