I’d like to begin this blog by addressing the elephant in the room – I am a man – and I’m very conscious of the hypocrisy in writing about girls and women breaking into an industry which has long been dominated by men (85%, according to a May 2026 report by the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS)). However, I wish to clarify that I am an ardent believer in there being equal opportunities for women, that stereotypes need to be broken and the longstanding traditions that have shaped not only the construction industry, but society more broadly, deserve to be questioned. My hope is that future generations, my daughter among them, simply have the same opportunities as men to achieve whatever they set out to do – without being disadvantaged due to their gender.

“Because they feel like it’s harder to succeed in a sterotypically man’s job – the glass ceiling isn’t always obvious, but it rarely isn’t there at all.”

This is what Highworth Grammar School (for Girls) in Ashford instils in their students – in fact – their school motto is “Reach for the Stars”, clearly emphasising that anything is possible. And so it was, on a blazing hot day in June, that they invited the Costplan Group – along with several other consultancies – to a Year 9 Careers Day, focussing on the world of construction and, specifically, encouraging the girls to consider it as a future option. It would prove to be a delightfully encouraging experience with 201 students enthusiastically taking part; though not without its challenges – given the stigma and stereotypes that envelope our trade.

The day was split into two sessions; the morning for individual workshops with groups of 25 or so students and in the afternoon was held a summarising presentation from each of the consultants (to give all the girls a flavour of what else was covered).

In total, 7 workshops had been organised, with a view to cover the plethora of trades within the consultancy arm of construction; Structural/Civil Engineering, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, Architecture, Building Control, CDM Safety, Programming and Quantity Surveying. The aim of each was to provide the girls with information on the roles, the type of work they carry out, where they fit in the lifecycle of a project and, crucially, to demonstrate and encourage the Year 9s that one’s capability is not based around their gender.

“In the future, I am planning on becoming an architect.”

What was evident from the get-go was that we were in the company of a group of highly intelligent, motivated and imaginative girls; and the unanimous feedback from the consultants was that the girls did excellently in the tasks set for them (and this despite the classrooms getting up to 33°c!). It was fascinating, certainly in our workshop on Quantity Surveying, how each set of 4-6 students approached the task in slightly different ways – some methodical and measured, others more creative and collaborative. We were keen to emphasise that there was no correct or proper way to complete the task, but that they did need to rationalise and back up the logic behind their collective thinking (they had to design and cost an outdoor space for their school). The end result was a set of unique designs all within the budget and specification set for them – it was very impressive – and the discussions held as we circulated the room were a genuine joy to be a part of.

“I enjoyed re-thinking the design and seeing how you can actually improve it and use less money.”

Some of the girls were sceptical as to the point of the day – which was half expected and therefore unsurprising – explaining that they had no intention of pursuing a career in construction. Well aware that our workshop was being led by three men, I was concerned as to their thinking behind such scepticism. However, it was encouraging to learn that the majority of those saying as much, explained that it wasn’t because they saw their gender as a barrier, but simply that the industry didn’t interest them. Nevertheless, and ever since the careers day, I have been pondering over their comments and have wondered – why had they discounted the industry? And could this view have been formed in the years prior to the workshop? It is my belief that their reasoning may have been influenced throughout their childhoods by preconceptions imprinted upon them through society’s views on construction – views, phrases and opinions which inevitably filter into day-to-day conversations, are seen in film and TV and even the marketing of toys and entertainment (Lego was mentioned as being mostly for boys). I believe, therefore, that although they didn’t see their gender as a barrier – a subconscious barrier already exists through no fault of their own.

“Many women don’t aspire to work in construction […] This could be because they are rarely encouraged to do so in their childhood, or at least not nearly as much as men, though this is changing.”

I hope to be completely wrong, and I’d like to reiterate that I am a man writing about the social inequality and difficulties that women might (but shouldn’t) face in the construction industry. I do believe changes are afoot, but in the knowledge that such a collective shift in mindset has, and will, take many years to come about and reiterates the importance of our responsibility as a company to educate others and push for change.

All this being said, the majority of the feedback we received from the students was positive. When asked what they enjoyed about the day – some key phrases that stick out are; “A fun, hands-on insight into the world of construction”, “Designing to a budget made it feel like a real project” and “An interactive day that brought construction careers to life.”

“I enjoyed all the interactive, fun activities that got me engaged and put me into a construction worker’s shoes, so I understood more about what it’s like to work in the construction industry.”

We were sent some insightful statistics by the school which helped shed light on the impact of the event – of the 153 students who completed the survey:

• 66% reported an increase in knowledge regarding different jobs within the construction industry
• 63% agreed or strongly agreed the event helped them explore jobs within construction they hadn’t heard of before
• 34% reported a positive increase in their interest in pursuing a career within construction.

As of 2025, (according to gov.uk) there were roughly 1.65 million girls in secondary school. So that last percentage is especially exciting as it demonstrates the importance of running such events; if we can convince 34% of them to consider a role in construction, I am confident that the rhetoric around gender stereotypes in the industry will start to change and its impact would be far reaching.