Taylor Wimpey Celebrates Women In Construction

Celebrated from 3rd to 9th March 2024, Women in Construction Week honours the achievements, skills, and dedication of female professionals who continue to shape the built environment.

Celebrating opportunities for all, Aaron Wright, Senior Planning Manager for Taylor Wimpey Southern Counties said: “I love working as a town planner in the construction industry. My role revolves around advising on planning policy changes, managing consultants for application submissions, and fostering proactive relationships with stakeholders. Additionally, I prepare internal reports and attend various public consultations and Planning Committee meetings. A significant part of my day involves reviewing layout plans and collaborating with other departments to solve on-site issues. Outside of work, I enjoy contributing to charity activities, including fundraising for local causes.”

When thinking about a highlight in her career, Aaron went on to say: “A proud moment in my career was participating in a Women’s Build Project with 'Habitat for Humanity' in New Delhi, India. This experience highlighted the importance of volunteering and supporting women in need of shelter.”

Despite facing gender-specific challenges in her field, Aaron works with a team that has strong female representation at Taylor Wimpey.

Speaking of her experience, Aaron said: “I've navigated challenges with grace and learnt to handle certain situations in a polite way. I strongly believe that we should be emphasising the significance of representation and opportunities for women in construction. Moving forward, I believe in fostering diversity and inclusivity within the industry, empowering individuals to pursue rewarding careers authentically.”

Design and Planning Executive for Taylor Wimpey Southern Counties, Rachael Gardner, said: “I love being a woman in this industry. In my role more commonly known as a Technical Coordinator, I oversee project management with a strong technical emphasis. This involves managing various consultants, including architects and engineers, throughout the project lifecycle. From inception to post-completion care, my responsibilities involve ensuring projects adhere to budget and deadlines while meeting technical requirements.

Sharing a significant milestone in her career, Rachael said: “A moment that stands out was successfully completing the detailed design process for my first solo site, gaining planning approval for the drainage scheme. This achievement highlighted the importance of technical proficiency and project management skills in the construction industry.”

When discussing female representation within the construction industry, both Aaron and Rachael firmly believe that while progress has been made, there's still work to be done to achieve gender parity in the industry.

Rachael went on to say: “As the construction industry evolves, I've noticed a cultural shift towards normalising female participation and respect within roles. Initiatives such as gender-specific uniforms and facilities demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity. To those considering a career in construction, I encourage you to seize the opportunity. The industry is more inclusive and supportive than ever. Joining trainee or graduate programmes offers valuable learning experiences while being supported in further education.”

Gender diversity is a big priority for Taylor Wimpey and is reflected in the ‘Turning the Dial’ diversity goals launched in 2022. By 2030, Taylor Wimpey aspires to have 30% female representation in its site management teams, 40% in its Management Trainee population and 50% in its Business Unit leadership teams.

Further information about the careers available at Taylor Wimpey can be found by visiting https://www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/jobs