Being a 5’3 female EHS specialist and arriving on site in my hard hat and Hi-Viz is certainly not the norm. I’m definitely a minority!

As I look forward to graduating in 2019, I am excited about my future in engineering.

Preconceptions never existed in my home. If you really wanted something you pursued it. It was that simple. I feel the construction industry has so much to offer anyone who enters it. It’s challenging, diverse, and rewarding

Today, women make up just 6% of the Irish construction industry. What I say to that is don’t wait for anyone’s permission to change the status quo. The opportunities are out there. For instance, at Eaton we’re committed to promoting career paths for women in engineering

Its funny how I ended up studying the course. I went in to a presentation on Quantity Surveying at an open day in IT Sligo in my final year of secondary school by accident and the rest is history! I was hooked!

The work can be challenging, but I delight in the sense of achievement that I feel when I pass by a project and I know I that have been a part of its creation and have contributed something positive to my surroundings.

There needs to be a greater awareness of what the industry entails and can offer young women that possess the skills, interest and potential to flourish.

When I was young my Dad used to take me to work with him on a Saturday. He would give me two blocks on the ground and some mortar to play with and I used to smooth it over the block, I kept doing it over and over.

I’m lucky to work in a profession that I enjoy and love. I’m committed to help mentor and advice other women who have an interest in developing a career in this sector and plan to hold others accountable to doing the same.

It isn’t easy being the first of anything, so we will always need that one brave enough to take the first plunge into the dark.

Today’s children are the future of this industry (and all industries) but it is the opinions and views of today’s adults that will further the bid to attain gender equality in the Construction Industry for the decades to come.

The first place we need to start is with schools, this means more presentations, more discussions and more school visits for our female role models.

Adjusting our definition of a candidate’s potential as well has how we evaluate her success will require gender-inclusive assessments.

Of course, there needs to be more apprenticeships and the government can always do more but there is a real onus on employers.

There is clear evidence that the best performing companies in the world have more women sitting at Board level.

We need more early education for girls to provide a more positive guidance to show that the list of possibilities are endless in the construction industry.

We need to promote the role models that we have in the industry and keep this conversation going.

Attracting more women and girls is a matter of opening up and showcasing the exciting and varied opportunities we have in construction.

The #BuildingEquality campaign is essential to address misconceptions and encourage behaviour change. The industry isn’t just for boys – and it’s important to challenge perceptions

A Project Director who pushed me from my architectural comfort zone into the world of Project Management saying on a €30 million EPCM project “take the lead you can project manage and you can do it!” I never looked back.

Seeing women succeed in these positions throughout the industry makes it easier for me, and other women to aspire to these positions ourselves.

STEM subjects can lead to great careers within the construction industry and inform them that there have been many successful females in the construction industry.

I finished school at 16 and it took me a while to decide what I wanted to do. On my 18th birthday, I started my electrical apprenticeship.

My elder brother and younger sister are IT Engineers. I am the one (Civil Engineer) who has chosen the construction industry.

Having completed my Inter Cert (in the early 80s) I planned doing Engineering, more specifically Civil Engineering. I liked bridges. I even did Physics after school as it wasn’t an option in the all girls’ school I attended.

I was very lucky to have an inspirational Physics teacher Mr. Maurice Manning in St. Conleths’ School who took an interest in encouraging me to study STEM subjects.

After raising 5 children I returned to college to complete my course in Architectural Technology in Bolton Street.

When I started college in Sligo IT, there were four girls in the entire engineering department. Today that department is actually headed up by a woman.

We need to see a construction industry that is society friendly with work life balance better for all, both men and women, and whatever your background. So welcome diversity with open arms.

From a young age I have always “doodled” houses, slowed down passing building sites & wanted to know how things worked. I knew that I wanted to go into engineering.

I’ve always had an interest in buildings and was designing “developments” from a very young age! In school Technical Drawing was my favourite subject and my first step into the industry was in IT Tralee where I studied Construction Studies.

Growing up I always had an interest in wood work and buildings/construction. I did wood work in school up until Junior Certificate cycle. While doing my Leaving Certificate I thought I wanted to do nursing but was overwhelmed when I realised this was not the career that I wanted.

There’s no denying that Construction is a male-dominated industry however I believe that the few women that are involved in the industry make a real difference.

Shortly after arriving to New Zealand a massive earthquake took place and I worked for over 6 years repairing homes damaged by the earthquake sequence.

Apprenticeship are an under used method of training and development in Ireland.

We are designed to be jugglers, out of the box and quick thinkers and problem solvers. These are invaluable additions to any project.

My name is Pauline Yeo, and I am a Quantity Surveyor who has been working in the industry for over 25 years. My first job was with a local council in the UK, working on the seafront as part of the management team.

I’ve worked for the company for the past four years. Prior to this I worked for more than 20 years in the manufacturing and service sectors. I can honestly say, while I have loved all of my previous roles.

It’s not always the employer that needs convincing. We have much to do to persuade women that they are genuinely welcome on site.

Often you hear that men are persuasive whereas women are pushy or men are smooth, but women are showing off; we get that kind of information all the time and it is up to us to stop it.

I would like to see an increase in female participation within the construction industry. I think having more women involved in this sector will help change the industry for the better. Women make great leaders, and we are all equal in this business

We need more women participating in construction and those who are already involved we need to see them progressing into more senior roles within the industry. We want to get the message out there that the construction industry is not just for men.

We need to work more closely with the education system to ensure that female students know that they are welcome in our industry and that they can build fantastic and fulfilling careers here.

Construction is one of the universal languages of global commerce and if you’re trained in Ireland, you are likely to be able to secure work around the world. The CIF’s #BuildingEquality Campaign will challenge the misconception that construction only provides careers for men.