As we celebrate Women in Construction Week and International Women’s Day, it’s important to inspire and support the next generation of female professionals in the industry.

We spoke to some of Knowles’ female team members to find out more about working as a woman in construction:

Millie Pattinson, Marketing

Q. Why are Knowles celebrating both IWD and Women in Construction Week?

At Knowles we are lucky to have women in various key positions throughout the company and this, in turn, is leading to us celebrating a more gender-diverse workforce across both site and management positions.

It’s so important to celebrate this seismic shift in order to continue its momentum –  particularly within the Property and Construction sector, which have been far slower at adapting and embracing this shift than others. Now that we are seeing real and permanent changes begin to happen, we should celebrate it, not only to recognise the work achieved, but to inspire others to maintain this motion.

Abbi Leanne Haynes, Senior Buyer

Q. Tell us about your role at Knowles

As Senior Buyer I deal with the day-to-day order requests, pro-actively coordinating each sites  requirements including time frames, specs, etc. which required great attention to detail.

In addition to this, I encourage my team to actively find the best savings whilst taking into consideration the quality of the product and supplier services levels.

This can have a huge effect on how efficiently a project can run. I also report on our monthly savings and issue a monthly update to the senior site staff on any price increases/decreases across the board. It can be very challenging at times but is also very rewarding.

Q. What do you love most about working in the construction industry?

No two days are the same! Throughout my 9 years in the industry, I can honestly say I learn something new every day. I love seeing each of our projects going through the various stages, right from the start through to the finished project. It really does fascinate me as I have a love of architecture and design.

Q. Do you have any advice for young people thinking about a career in construction?

Hard work really does pay off. Whether you start off with a degree, or you climb the ladder from the bottom, in this industry its possible to achieve whatever your end goal is as long as you apply yourself. Be confident and willing to adapt yourself as new building applications, techniques and procedures are being introduced all the time and there is always the opportunity to learn more.

Q. Women working in construction is becoming more common, but do you think there is still some kind of stigma or misconception preventing more women from joining the industry?

The industry has come a long way from when I first started out in a Builders Merchants. At first, I found it difficult to build up my client base as they all assumed I had a lesser knowledge than my male colleagues. Once I built my confidence and with support from my colleagues and managers, I managed to break through preconceived notion and excel. In my current position as a Senior Buyer at Knowles, I can honestly say I have not faced any of these issues and I was quickly able to prove myself to be very competent to our site managers and suppliers alike.

Q. In your view, what does the industry need to do to help attract and retain more women?

It is great to see the industry becoming more equal. I see more and more woman in a variety of roles, not just as Quantity Surveyors or Document Controllers but even on the grab lorries! It would be great to see this encouraged more within schools and vocational colleges to attract students into the industry from the beginning. At that age, I didn’t know how diverse the construction industry could be, and I would have joined this industry a lot sooner if I was aware the opportunities available to me. More companies also need to proactively recruit more women, using social media advertisements to help reach the right target audience.

Natalie Smith, Document Controller

Q. Tell us a bit about your role and what you enjoy most about your job?

At Knowles I work as a document controller, meaning I play a key role in the construction site offices across a number of our active projects both in London and the Home Counties. My role involves engaging with different members of the client teams, design and construction teams and no two days are the same.
This is something I really enjoy as it keeps things interesting, constantly having to adapt. I love seeing the projects take shape from start to finish, right from the ground up to client handover.

Q. Have you always worked in construction?

With a couple of breaks in between I’ve worked in construction for around 12 years, on projects in the Home Counties, London, the Midlands and even mainland Europe for a short time. Prior to Knowles I worked for a main contractor predominantly on commercial projects which is where I got to move around as relocated to where the project was based and an Architect Engineer practice in London.

Q. What does a day a work look like for you?

My working day is mainly dictated by the project information received via Viewpoint (a document management system) for Projects, uploaded by the design consultants and subcontractors on each individual project. I monitor Viewpoint for new and revised information, carry out quality checks of all documentation and notify the design consultants to review and approve subcontractor information. I then ensure the construction team and subcontractors are all working to the current construction information.

I am also involved in the set-up process for new projects, and have developed document management procedures as well as holding regular training sessions with the internal, client/design teams and subcontractors on how to operate various systems effectively.

Q. Are there any misconceptions about your job?

Document control is generally viewed as a generic admin role, however it is an essential part of the efficient running of a construction site team. There are a number of attributes required to carry out the role effectively and it requires great attention to detail, with the ability to work successfully as part of a team, which often includes the client themselves. Building these professional relationships is helpful when you need to reject documentation if someone hasn’t followed the project guidelines, without them taking it personally – everyone has a job to do!

Q. How would you encourage more women to get into construction?

I think ‘Women in Construction’ day and profiles such as this where females in the industry can encourage others into the construction industry are so important. Historically, construction sites I have worked on have always had a very small percentage of female employees but it’s great to see that slowly changing. There are vast opportunities available for anyone interested in entering into construction!

Megan Steele-Knowles, Group Brand & Communications Director

Q. Tell us about your role at Knowles

As Group Brand and Communications Director, I oversee all external and internal exposure for Knowles. The role is multi-faceted and covers a wide range of elements; from internal communications and general day-to-day operations, to external PR & marketing – from media interviews, branding on sites and general company marketing opportunities.

Part of the role is to ensure all tenders and project submissions are delivered under a cohesive company pack to ensure Knowles’ culture and aesthetic is clear at all touchpoints.

Q. Have you faced any challenges in your career as a woman and if so, how did you overcome them?

Having worked in both a totally female dominated company (in a previous career) and now within a largely male dominated environment, I haven’t found the difference to be as obvious as one might think.

I have never let my gender create challenges for me, however it would be fair to say that I have had to work that little bit harder to establish my position, particularly within male dominated environments. I aim to overcome any challenge by reaffirming why and how, not only to myself but to everyone around you – stay firm in your beliefs!

Q. Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day and how can we encourage more women to pursue entrepreneurship or senior leadership roles in the luxury property industry?

For a long time, women have sat in the background – whether within an organisation, on a Board seat or generally within decision making roles. But, by talking about it and most importantly, leading by example we can show that it DOES happen. At Knowles, we are proud to have females make up 33% of our Board and are increasingly seeing more interest from female applicants. I think there should be more of an emphasis on attracting internships, work experience and apprenticeships and educating students on the amazing opportunities available to them within this industry, aside from the traditional pathways

Q. What is the best advice you have been given?

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”