New research conducted by Able Skills has revealed that 72% of Brits have never encountered a female builder, plumber or electrician. But 88% of Brits would like to see more women in these roles. The women surveyed cited concerns over not being taken seriously (46%), facing prejudice (39%) and finding it intimidating (38%) as reasons for not considering a career in these trades.
Kayleigh
Kayleigh Morris, 19 from Hackney is an apprentice with Pimlico Plumbers and has been training for nearly three years. She shares why plumbing is actually a great career for women.
You could travel the world
I started out in a very different role: hairdressing and I’ve ended up at the other end of the spectrum! I wanted to do something practical that could enable travel opportunities. I decided on plumbing because I wanted a skills-based job and it’s cool and unique. Once qualified I can go anywhere around the world –I want to go to Australia someday and work out there. Trades are in huge demand as there’s a lack of skills.
Every day is different
I don’t like the idea of being tied down to an office, with my job you meet different people every day, go to new homes; it’s always a new experience. I’ve even heard of Doctors transitioning and going into plumbing! It’s really flexible, you can easily be self-employed once you have the skills, your hands are making you money, you can start your own business - whatever you want!
Women love meeting women
Sometimes I do worry I might not be taken seriously, but then I always prove myself in my work. Sometimes I meet people who are like ‘are you the plumber?!’ But most people greet me really nicely and trust me – especially as usually it’s women in the home and they find a bit of comfort in welcoming another female. You can easily reassure a customer quite quickly by just explaining what needs to be done and showing your knowledge. Right now it’s unusual for a woman to be a plumber – but I’ve been fine and in say ten years I think it will be more common.
It’s personality that’s key
I would recommend working in trade to other women –not every women could do it, but not every man could do it either. You have to have that get up and go and enjoy the more practical hands on environment. You do have to have a bit of strength but it’s more the kind of a personality that a lot of tradesmen have in common.
You’re a role model
Near enough every time I go to a job I’m met with surprise. But there’s lots of positive support – it’s quite a nice feeling that they are surprised! I meet a lot of women who ask me about how I have got into this and how they can do it too. I didn’t think people would see it so positively – people even come up to me in the street. There’s a real acknowledgement that more women could do this job and I feel really proud to be a role model for other women. Especially at Pimlico Plumbers, which really supports women in the industry. I think it should be promoted in schools – I wish I started doing this when I was younger. It wasn’t put on there as an option to me.
Men welcome women
I’ve had a really positive experience so far. Only one time have I met men who had something to say. I was in a home when they came in they were bed fitters from another company and said “shouldn’t you be in the kitchen”. I just replied “well I’m the plumber, you’re the bed fitters” – they had nothing more to say. Generally though men just have good manners that are misplaced, if I’m getting a boiler off the wall – they’ll try to help, but I can do it. There are a lot of men around you all the time, I am the only woman but it’s interesting. Everyone looks at me like one of the guys and I like it like that. I still have my nails done and my eyelashes, I haven’t had to change because of what I do.
Able Skills offer City & Guilds construction training courses in electrical, plumbing, gas, plastering, carpentry, tiling, decorating and bricklaying.