A businesswoman from Milton Keynes is calling for more young people, especially women, to consider careers in the building materials industry.
Lauren Harrison is at the forefront of a national initiative, Building Material Careers, led by the BMF (Builders Merchants Federation) to attract new talent into a sector often overlooked and wrongly assumed to be just for men.
Spanning everything from the manufacture of bricks and timber to the sale of tiles and insulation, building materials is an often overlooked but vital supply chain, which ensures that the right building products are delivered to the right place at the right time.
Without it, construction in the UK would grind to a halt, but recruitment is the single biggest challenge facing the sector.
To tackle the issue, the BMF, which represents over 1000 merchant, supplier and service companies in the UK has launched Building Materials Careers to attract new talent, including women, into an industry essential to the delivery of homes, schools, hospitals, and roads.
At the core of the message is that essential skills in areas including digitalisation, sustainability and decarbonisation are going to be vital to the future of the sector, and the wider UK.
Lauren is Customer Relationship Manager for Lincoln-based ECI Software Solutions: “I’d encourage anyone, especially women, to visit the Building Materials Careers website and explore the opportunities available," she said, "We need more people, and we need more women.
“You can do any job in this sector; people aren’t pigeon-holed, and hybrid roles are common.
“The women I have encountered through my career are uplifting and empowering and want other women to thrive and succeed.”
According to the Construction Inclusion Coalition (CIC), women currently make up just 15 percent of the construction and materials supply workforce; a figure campaigners say must change to meet growing national demand.
“Historically, we have not recruited from the broadest pool of talent, because many women have felt that the industry is not for them," added Marianna Peet, BMF’s Learning & Development and Apprenticeship Manager, “The construction industry has always been associated with bricklaying, hard hats, heavy machinery, and male-dominated workforces. This has to change.
“Building materials is a vast and varied sector. The industry needs a diverse workforce with skills, ambition, and fresh perspectives.
“For people looking for a place where they can make a material difference, the industry is ideal.”
