This International Women’s Day we wanted to step back and look at one of the challenges facing the BMS industry: attracting and retaining women. In an ever expanding industry that is already dealing with skill and workforce shortages, overlooking half the potential talent pool is not an option. Making the BMS industry a place where women can see themselves thriving is something that we see as vital for learnd and for the whole industry.
BMS has come a long way in the last ten years and there are many amazing women making a huge impact both for learnd and throughout the industry. The percentages of women working in construction and engineering roles has increased and 37% of new entrants to the construction industry from higher education are women, but there is still more we can do to make BMS a better place for women to work.
This is not a problem that comes with a quick fix. According to EngineeringUK women make up only 15.7% of the tech and engineering workforce while Engineering Council registration data indicates that on average women leave the sector at the age of 43, compared to men who leave at 60.
If we are committed to changing these statistics we need to find out what would make more women join and stay in the BMS industry.
Creating pathways into BMS
EngineeringUK’s research suggests that the engineering gender gap opens up early. Only 29% of girls are interested in an engineering career compared to 63% of boys and more than a third of girls say science is not for them.
Finding pathways that make entering the industry easier and more appealing for women needs to be one of the first steps for BMS organisations who are serious about addressing gender inequality. This could mean actively engaging with groups like CIBSE’s Women in Building Services Engineering Network (WiBSE), offering internal or external membership opportunities and providing a platform for visible role models who can inspire future BMS engineers.
At learnd we’re proud to have a Talent and Culture team committed to finding and supporting the best talent in the industry which enables us to provide development opportunities at every career stage and offer pathways like apprenticeships for those wanting to enter the industry for the first time.
These apprenticeships and training programmes opens doors but the BMS industry as a whole needs to be prepared to put in the groundwork with young people who may already feel that a career in engineering is out of reach. Changing the perception of engineering at an early stage could make a big difference for girls and women who might be put off by the thought of entering such a male-dominated industry.
Building an environment where women stay
Attracting women into BMS is an important first step but ensuring that they want to stay and progress is crucial.
Offering flexible working arrangements, equal parental leave, strong support networks, and mentorship opportunities can all help to address some of the concerns that women may have about entering the industry. At learnd we have taken steps including offering enhanced maternity leave and providing additional support for employees going through menopause, options which can make staying in the industry long term more appealing.
As well as WiBSE, organisations like the Women’s Engineering Society deliver campaigns and events that celebrate and support women in engineering, while also providing resources for those wanting to start their engineering careers.
If we want our industry to be the best then we need to make sure that we’re bringing in the best talent and making sure that everyone, regardless of their gender, can see a future for themselves in BMS.
