Changing our own biases is the first step to creating an inclusive environment where women can not only progress but thrive. Join us for a FREE one hour webinar.
Women in Construction Ambassador and BBC Apprentice finalist Michaela Wain owns 5 successful construction related companies; Design and Build UK, Vantage Utility Connections, Framework Marketing, Property Ninjas and We Connect Construction.
Michaela has had to overcome obstacles in a male-dominated field to build her own empire, including hitting a “glass ceiling” when applying for a job by being told “they wanted an older man” despite her turning the business turnover (Design and Build UK) from £6,000 a month to £100,000.
Michaela is passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion in construction and does all she can to help women succeed in the industry. There are many initiatives she has developed to help including, the Women in Construction awards launched in 2022 with all money raised donated to Maggie Oliver Foundation, a charity supporting women and girls who have suffered sexual and domestic abuse.
As member of the Gemserv Executive team, Miriam leads the Energy Business unit overseeing delivery of services to clients in the Energy sector of the UK, the Republic of Ireland and Internationally. With a depth of experience in energy regulation and governance, the Energy business unit comprises a range of subject matter experts who have earned their stripes working in operational roles within the Energy sector. That expertise, combined with the full range of capabilities drawn from across Gemserv, enables the business unit to offer unique insight and support to our clients.
Miriam draws from her broad career spanning across disciplines from Finance, Operations and IT to apply a customer-centric focus to Energy services. She is well versed in cutting through complex matters with a logical, common-sense approach and supports Clients using a depth of strategic, commercial and operational experience gained from her time at large, well-known companies including (public services company) Serco, Centrica, The AA and Grant Thornton. Miriam is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.
Michelle Lim has worked in the railway industry since 2015 when she first joined on the graduate engineering scheme. Throughout her graduate placements and career, she has moved numerous times within the company. From working in the headquarters to managing the busiest railway track in Scotland, throughout it all, she had to work with different teams and people of various backgrounds and ages; mostly men. She has built up her technical knowledge and managerial skills that was then applied to managing the delivery of infrastructure railway projects which was evident when she was awarded her engineering chartership in 2022. She is also a trade union representative for equality so her aim is to continue working in the railway and to promote equality for all backgrounds and types of people.
When you picture a construction site do you visualise a male or female dominated workforce? How about the transport industry? Or the energy sector? Many of us have our own biases when it comes to the construction, energy and transport workforce as a result of adverts, films and day to day encounters that have influenced the way we view these sectors. Changing our own biases is the first step to creating an inclusive environment where women can not only progress but thrive.
47% of the UK workforce is made up of women yet in the construction, energy and transport industry women remain underrepresented. Women account for only 20% of the transport sector (Women in Transport), 12.8% of the construction workforce (Women in Construction) and 22% of the traditional energy sector (IEA). From the recruitment process through to retirement many companies are struggling to attract, retain and develop women's careers. But why?
International Women's Day (March 8) is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. Our passion comes from a deep-seated belief that EDI benefits not only individuals, but organisations, sectors and society as a whole. Changing attitudes in the workplace can be a catalyst to how we interact with our colleagues in and outside the office or other environments.
This year to celebrate International Women's Day we are hosting a FREE one hour webinar with The Equal Group consultant Charlotte Lombardi-Whitehouse and our expert panel to discuss;
The Equal Group’s expert EDI Consultants regularly advise forward-thinking organisations on how they can improve their EDI performance.
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