Women in Construction Pledge at Orwell

At Orwell, we’re proud to celebrate the many women who play vital roles in our construction‑related teams. Through our Women in Construction focus group, we actively seek opportunities to showcase these roles and raise awareness of the wide range of careers available to women within the affordable housing construction sector

Women remain significantly underrepresented in the construction industry making up only 13.6% of the construction workforce.  Yet the construction industry offer a multitude of exciting career pathways, from architects and engineers to ‘on the tools’ roles.

Women in Construction work experience

With only 5% of students considering careers in construction, creating early opportunities for young women to explore the sector is essential. As part of our Women in Construction Pledge, we offered a construction focused work experience programme to young women in school years 10 and 11 from local schools across Ipswich, Suffolk.

Supported by Rees Pryer Architects and Nicholas Estates, we hosted four placements in total, with each participant spending time in a range of construction related departments across Orwell enabling them to gain a broad insight into the affordable housing sector. Students were given the opportunity to shadow several teams, including Asset Management, Development, Property Services, Repairs, and Estate Services. By spending time with different departments, they gained an in‑depth understanding of the wide range of roles involved in affordable housing, as well as what it’s really like to work in each area.

Amber, a Year 13 student, reflected on what she enjoyed most about her work experience:
“Advancing my learning and gaining a lot more knowledge about social housing, which I hadn’t known much about before. I really enjoyed discovering the work Orwell Housing does, learning about the schemes they’re involved in, and having the chance to visit one of the developments.”

The importance of Women in Construction

Dawn, Head of Development at Orwell, commended the importance of supporting women in the sector, explaining: “As women working in the industry, we feel a responsibility to encourage advocacy, education, and networking to inspire future generations. We want to help challenge stereotypes and rather than ‘fall into’ a career in construction we want young women to be aware of the possibilities and be able to positively choose a career in construction and affordable housing construction.”

At Orwell, we want everyone to feel empowered to pursue a career in whatever sector inspires them. By creating opportunities, breaking down barriers, and championing inclusive pathways, we’re committed to helping people build futures they can be proud of.

If you’re interested in exploring new opportunities or learning more about what it’s like to work at Orwell, you can find out more here: Why Work With Us | Orwell Housing