It’s 2021 and women are quite literally smashing down walls & laying the foundation of our society. Despite the construction industry being typically male-dominated, female workers are slowly gaining ground through their knowledge, grit & determination. As a national design and construction team, we are proud to be part of the movement with a 40/60 ratio of female staff members to males. By 2022 we look forward to becoming a 50/50 workplace with women taking charge across all sectors of Unita. Today we sit down with Penny Fraser, Nation Business Development Manager of Unita Health.
My role is to manage client relationships on behalf of the Unita Group, particularly in the healthcare sector & during the Design & Construct (D&C) process. I’m also responsible for sourcing new channels of business through research, identifying potential opportunities and then pursuing them to secure tender prospects for planning, design, construction.
I initially gained my experience from the ground up, first by building my own homes whilst being a stay at home mum and later by being employed by a Fit-Out company who specialises in Healthcare design and construction.
I really enjoy problem solving and making things work for my clients. Visualising something designed on paper and then coming to life is exciting but moreover it’s seeing my clients delighted when they move into their new reimagined space.
I re-entered the work force as a part-time receptionist and moved up the ranks working in different divisions. This equipped me with an appreciation of different departments roles and a broader understanding and insight in to the D&C process.
It’s not uncommon for male colleagues to doubt your creditability; especially when the ratio of male to females in this sector greatly differs. Overall the industry is becoming more diverse and more welcoming to women in construction and I have seen a significant jump in recent years of this ratio narrowing. I encourage fellow construction business owners to seek out women for recruitment possibilities as they will not be disappointed.
Professional organisations and vocational training programs all have vital roles to play in bringing more women into the construction industry. There are more organisations today that offer mentorship programs and help women better understand their options. Having a culture that supports employee development, open communication and fairness also helps contribute to women’s success in the industry.
Stick it out, no matter the obstacle. Understand that you may have to interact with some individuals who still aren’t used to seeing or working with women in the industry – be prepared to prove yourself. Don’t be afraid to show them that you know what you’re talking about. In time, you’ll begin to change their perspective and garner a different respect from them.
Being good at multitasking and highly organized has aided me juggle being a mother and working in the construction industry. Also having employer support with flexible working options has helped me retain my parental responsibilities whilst giving something back to the company.