Women in Construction Week 2025

Women play a crucial role in the construction industry, yet they remain significantly underrepresented. Women in Construction Week, 3rd-7th March, is a time to celebrate the contributions of women, raise awareness of the challenges they face, and encourage more women to pursue careers in the sector.

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Why This Week Matters

​Women currently make up around 15% of the construction workforce in the UK, with approximately 340,000 women employed in the sector. However, representation in manual trades remains at just 1%, and only 7% of executive roles in construction are held by women.

Despite these figures, the industry is changing. As construction faces an urgent skills shortage, with an estimated 250,000 additional workers needed by 2027, women represent a key opportunity to help close this gap and drive the industry forward.
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Breaking Barriers: Key Issues Women Face

​Women in construction still encounter challenges that limit their opportunities for career progression, safety, and equality.

🔹 The Gender Pay Gap – Women hold just 9.2% of the highest-paid roles, while nearly 29% are in the lowest-paid quartile. This disparity highlights the need for greater career advancement opportunities.

🔹 Lack of Proper PPE – Nearly 60% of UK employers do not provide appropriately fitting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for women, making site work uncomfortable and, in some cases, unsafe.

🔹 Workplace Culture & Representation – With so few women in leadership roles and manual trades, construction can still feel like a male-dominated environment, creating barriers to entry and progression.
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🔹 Retention Challenges – A lack of flexible working arrangements and support for women balancing work and family responsibilities means that many leave the sector before reaching senior roles.
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How We Can Support Women in Construction

Addressing these challenges is key to creating an inclusive and thriving industry. Women in Construction Week is a platform to inspire change and promote solutions that will attract and retain more women in the sector.

✅ Encouraging More Women into Construction
Promoting positive role models, increasing visibility of women in the sector, and engaging with schools and universities can help break stereotypes and encourage young women to consider careers in construction and STEM fields.

✅ Providing Mentorship & Career Development
Offering networking opportunities, mentorship schemes, and leadership training helps women gain confidence and skills to progress into senior roles.

✅ Improving PPE for Women
Companies must ensure that well-fitting, properly designed PPE is available for all employees, regardless of gender. This is not just about comfort – it’s about safety.

✅ Flexible Working & Family Support
Improving workplace policies, such as better parental leave and flexible working arrangements, can help retain skilled female professionals and make the industry more inclusive.

✅ Creating a Safer and More Inclusive Workplace
Commitments to tackling workplace harassment, ensuring safe reporting mechanisms, and fostering a culture of respect and equality are essential for long-term change.
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Celebrating Women in Construction

Women in Construction Week is not just about recognising challenges – it’s about celebrating the incredible work that women already do in the industry. Across the UK and Ireland, women are leading major infrastructure projects, pioneering innovation, and shaping the future of construction.