09.03.2021

Breaking down gender stereotypes in the workplace

21% of British women are considering employment within the trades post-Covid

The make up of the modern day private sector is incomparable to that of just 50 years ago, with gender stereotypes of what people can and can't achieve continually being broken down. One leading example of this is within the construction and trade sectors, which in recent years have begun to witness an influx of women pursuing careers within these fields. Last year, research conducted by Direct Line found that there were more than twice as many women working in trade professions including electricians, plumbers and construction workers in the UK than ten years ago.

Now however, it seems that the pandemic has piqued female interest in pursuing a career in the trades. Indeed, female-led businesses in the trades have provided motivation for women seeking new ventures. Businesses such as 5 Star Pest Control, founded by Lin French, have demonstrated the it is indeed possible to break the mould of what a CEO in the trades should look like. Indeed, new research from field service management software Powered Now has shown that 21% of women in the UK during the last 12 months have considered a career in the trades. Of those 21%, the following careers were the most popular:

Handywomen
Bathroom & Kitchen fitting
Roofing
Decorations and Painting
Extension providers

There is good reason for this increasing interest for female roles in the trades too. Powered Now's research has further uncovered that 15% of women currently within the trades has seen their client demand reach to a record high during the pandemic. With home improvements going through a period of rapid growth - the market research provider Kantar has indicated that £4.94 billion was spent on home improvements last year, £552 million than the previous 12 months - now presents an opportune moment for women to pursue careers in the trades.

Ben Dyer, CEO of Powered Now, has commented on the increasing influence of women in the trades. He said: "In a turn of events, the pandemic has highlighted that the trades is a haven for employment, and perhaps has been an unexpected catalyst to help move the industry closer to gender parity.

"Of course, as more women pursue careers in the trades, it will help to dismantle the trope the manual labour is just for men. We have found that existing businesses in the trades run by women can often be the most innovative, with female-only trade SMEs providing a service for those who are uneasy who they allow in their homes, and hope that 2021 is a year in which we see these trends continue to flourish."

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