Barratt David Wilson Homes (BDW) is celebrating some of its top team members across the country as part of Women in Construction Week (5-11 March).
Somerset-based Syd Atifeh and Laura Lloyd are flying the flag for women in construction in two very different roles. Syd (pictured top left), aged 26, came into the industry via Barratt Developments’ ASPIRE Graduate scheme. She’s worked on-site for the past five years and a recent promotion means she’s now responsible for overseeing the construction of Moorland Gate in Bishops Lydeard, the first development she’s looked after in her role as site manager.
She said: “I get a real buzz working in a team that are driven and enthusiastic to achieve and develop. I’d definitely like to see more women on-site and I don’t think it’ll be long until we get there. The more diverse the workforce, the more we can understand the different perspectives of trades, subcontractors and customers.”
Meanwhile, Laura (pictured top centre) is the regional finance director for Barratt David Wilson Homes West region which covers the whole of the South West and South Wales. She joined Barratt as an assistant accountant in 2006 after graduating from her four-year degree in Business Studies at Plymouth University. She had previously spent a year placement with the company as part of her degree. Barratt then sponsored her to complete her Chartered Accountancy qualification and she quickly progressed through the ranks, being promoted to finance director in 2015 then taking on responsibility for the whole West Region in 2021.
Laura is conscious that while the environment for women in construction has improved considerably in recent years, there is still work to be done around areas such as flexible working hours and conditions on-site. As a traditionally older male workforce nears retirement, she believes there is the case for creating more part time or job share roles, not just for those who don’t want to retire completely but to encourage more women who have family or caring commitments. She herself has two young children and says Barratt makes every effort for her to combine a full-time role across a wide region with her family life.
In East Anglia, Paula Baker (43, pictured top right) previously served in the RAF for 22 years and, in October last year, she joined the leading developer as a trainee assistant site manager through its Armed Forces Transition Programme. She is now working at the Woodland Heath development in Sprowston. She said: “I have always been interested in construction, but never thought that I would have this opportunity. When I found out about the transition programme, I was immediately drawn to the role. The transferrable skills I learnt in the RAF gave me the confidence to apply for the job and, since joining the housebuilding industry, my confidence has grown much quicker than what I thought it would.”
She continued: “Upon starting my new role, I was quickly able to overcome an initial fear I had about being a woman in the industry and on site with the trades. The team welcomed me and put me at ease right from the start, and made me realise it was something I should never have been concerned about prior to starting. There are still barriers within the trade side of the industry which need to be challenged, but it’s clear to see that Barratt and David Wilson Homes is changing that perception by investing in and challenging those barriers.”
In the company’s Sheffield division, sales manager Simone Roberts (37, picture bottom left) wishes to encourage any girl or women interested in a career in the construction industry to pursue it. After starting her career as cabin crew for Virgin Atlantic, Simone wished for a change in direction. She loved dealing with customers and wanted a job that still allowed her to help people, but she never thought she would find that in the construction industry.
Simone said: “I think when you’re young, you see the building industry as a man’s world. Even down to the toys children play with, it suggests boys grow up to be builders, yet girls don’t. It took me a while to realise that wasn’t the case. With an industry so diverse, there is plenty of room for everyone. If I could speak directly to a girl or woman contemplating a career in construction, I would tell her to believe in her own convictions. You are not subordinate to anyone because of your gender, and don’t let anyone stand in the way of what you want to do in life.”
In Leicestershire, Jess Fletcher (24, pictured bottom centre) originally started as a candidate on Barratt Homes’ two-year ASPIRE Graduate Programme in August 2020. She is now one of the youngest site managers to be employed by the company and is responsible for helping to manage its King’s Meadow development in Melton Mowbray. She originally undertook a degree in Architecture at Leeds Beckett University, as well as working as an architectural assistant for a Leeds-based Royal Institute of British Architects practice prior to seeking employment with BDW. Her long-term ambition is to eventually become a construction director.
Jess said: “The ASPIRE Graduate Programme is a great opportunity to start a career with Barratt Developments PLC, and it was possibly one of the best career decisions I have made so far. It allows you to learn from all departments whilst learning ‘on the job’ and is great for networking and having exposure to the business within your division and with senior leaders. Barratt Homes has a diverse workplace and advocates time and investment into young people to become the next team of senior leaders.”
Lizz Wakefield (38, picture bottom right), was recently appointed as a trainee assistant site manager based at the Bertone Gardens development in Kettering. She started in the construction industry at 17, pursuing electrical instillation and outperforming many of her male peers, yet was still unable to secure an apprenticeship, believing her gender was often the cause. She can remember being called a distraction to male workers and likely to drop out or become pregnant.
Losing confidence in herself, Lizz transferred to a career in painting and decorating, where she believes her gender was less of an issue, but was a field she had less passion for. She later started a family and ran her own decorating business for a number of years before working for the postal service for a short time, until in 2022, she decided to return to the construction industry she was so passionate about. She applied directly to Barratt Homes, and in October of last year, Lizz was appointed to her position.
She said: “It’s very important for women to have a voice in construction. It can be a rather alpha-male environment, but women can offer a completely different perspective, which is greatly needed. Throughout my whole career I have witnessed the great leaps forward women have made in the construction industry. We have come a long way, and I am proud of each step made, but it still needs to be pushed further. If I could speak directly to a girl or woman contemplating a career in construction, I would tell her to believe in her own convictions. You are not subordinate to anyone because of your gender, and don’t let anyone stand in the way of what you want to do in life.”
Source: Show House News
