SITE manager Charlotte Milburn is celebrating Women in Construction Week (w/c March 6) by joining the team at Lancashire based housebuilder Prospect Homes.
The 27-year-old former chef has swapped her culinary whites for a hard hat and all the ingredients for a successful career in the building industry.
Despite figures that show only 14% of current construction industry workers are women*, Charlotte is bucking the trend.
The HNC Construction Site Supervisor student is in good company – Prospect has several high-flying women in the management team.
“Knowing that the percentage of women in construction site management is quite low, it drives me to want to do that little bit better every day, learn more, work harder and be the best version of me I can be and try to bring a different perspective to work,” said Charlotte, who is also studying for a HNC Level 4 Construction Site Supervisor qualification in her spare time.
“Previously I worked as a nursery kitchen chef, there was no opportunity for progression, and I felt that at this stage in my life I wanted a career whereby I can continue to learn and be successful in a rewarding role.
“Construction is not what I’d have ever considered doing to be honest, and everyone who I told about the job when I applied for it said the same thing ‘oh but you’ll be working with all men, you’ll get muddy, and it’ll be cold’.
“None of those factors bother me, I’ve worked with men, women, younger and older people of all different backgrounds and different languages and I love adapting to different situations,” she added.
Charlotte is currently shadowing site managers, predominantly working on Prospect Homes’ Lee Park Avenue site in Liverpool.
Established in 2000, Prospect Homes builds homes across the North West and Yorkshire and is part of The Riverside Group Ltd. All profits made from home sales at Prospect Homes are given back to Riverside to invest in social value work and communities across the UK.
Charlotte added: “My advice for anyone considering a career in the construction industry is to just go for it.
“Don’t let stereotypical judgements and outdated views of construction put you off.
“It’s an exciting career and the opportunities for progression are endless. If you’re hard working and want to be challenged, are passionate and willing to learn then you can be very successful, the benefits are amazing too.”
Read more of the latest developments in our new edition: January – February 2022 Issue Form – Show Home Magazine (yourshow-home.com)
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