'Being a woman in construction isn't hard, it's perceptions'

WHEN she started, some builders wouldn’t even speak to her on the phone.

Harriet Healey has learned that being a woman in construction is not easy.

The 29-year-old has had to fight ingrained prejudice to rise up through a traditionally male-dominated industry.

The self-proclaimed 'woman in a man's world' has seen her experience and qualifications ignored due to her gender, but last month she became the first female managing director of Carterton-based Property Conservation Services (PCS).

Ms Healey admits PCS, a damp proofing business, is not the most glamorous conversation starter, but her story is best situated in the bigger picture.

The lifelong Carterton resident has shown it is possible to be a successful woman in construction and she is now encouraging others to follow her lead.

“It’s something I feel strongly about," she said.

“Ladies in the industry are really starting to push on pay and opportunities.

“Some women could do a better job than their equivalent male.”

“People need to see an example of something really brilliant a woman has done to move forward.”

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Ms Healey has pushed herself ever since she was very young.

Growing up as the oldest of three siblings in the West Oxfordshire town, she attended St Joseph's Catholic Primary School and Carterton Community College, before transferring to The Cherwell School in Oxford.

There, she studied Maths, Chemistry, Biology and French and left in 2008 to work for an IT company.

Over the next few years Ms Healey travelled back and forth across the globe, spending time in Australia and then Peru.

A willingness to throw herself into the unknown proved invaluable in the South American country, where she thrived learning Spanish to break the language barrier.

In 2010, her father, John, bought PCS, leading to a decision that would change the course of Ms Healey's life.

"My plan was always to return from Peru and go to uni," she said.

"I was going to study mental health nursing at Keele, but then dad bought the company he had been working at.

“I look back and think ‘thank god I didn’t do it.”

Ms Healey joined the business in an admin role, but after shadowing a more experienced surveyor it was not long before she completed her exams with the Property Care Association.

She was the odd one out in a group of much older surveyors, but this sometimes worked in her favour.

“I didn’t fit in but they were all really good to me," she said.

"When men are interacting with men you see sometimes them competing with each other but they don’t feel they need to do that with me so they’re more likely to be helpful."

The future managing director had no qualms about working on site as a labourer, but prejudice was regrettably never far away.

“People are usually pretty polite in their homes and don’t say anything about my gender unless it’s positive," she said.

“But when you get out on the building site the other traders are looking at you thinking ‘what are you doing here’."

Ms Healey continues: “I went onto one building site and was more qualified than the male surveyor with me.

“It was a below ground structure and we met architects and builders.

“I was wearing my boots, my hard hat and hi vis, but every single question was addressed to the other surveyor, rather than me.

“I would answer the question and they would listen, but then ask the surveyor.

“They were friendly and polite. It’s a society issue but I’m not offended.

"Maybe I just have to work a little bit harder.”

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Ms Healey is keen to stress she does not blame individuals for any unintentional sexism, but admits she has had to develop a thick skin.

This was undoubtedly helped by a period spent boxing, where she was invariably the only woman in the gym.

“Walking into other gyms used to scare me to death and make me feel really self-conscious," she revealed.

"But after facing that for a few years I could do anything. Because it’s all men and boys, it’s now not so daunting being the only girl.”

As with all her pursuits, Ms Healey refused to be deterred and battled her way to a national final at the iconic London venue, York Hall, in 2016.

She came up short in her fight in the 54kg bantamweight category, while a sinus operation for haematoma later that year eventually forced her out of the ring for good.

With her fledgling boxing career on hold, Ms Healey concentrated on making a success of PCS.

She continued her rise to the top of the business, taking on more and more responsibilities and eventually becoming a director of the company.

With the managing director position up for grabs, either Ms Healey or her father would take on the role.

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She was judged ready for the top job, but endured a baptism of fire after taking over in January.

"I started running it on January 1 and my parents went away for a month - I couldn't believe it," she joked.

Ms Healey survived the fraught first month and is now thriving in the role, despite a seemingly endless to-do list.

“I get to spend half my time in the office and the other half doing surveys," she said.

“And because there’s not enough hours in the day, I spend the other half meeting people.”

Ms Healey will now lead PCS into the post-Brexit world, but this is simply the latest in a long line of challenges she is raring to overcome.

The company is involved in several projects throughout Oxfordshire, having built up a positive reputation over more than 25 years of trading.

Ms Healey believes historic gender dynamics are - slowly - changing and wants other girls to take advantage.

As a Women in Construction ambassador, she constantly encourages girls interested in a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

"What I’ve learned from other women forging careers at the top of the construction industry is that it’s not your gender that gets in the way but other people’s perceptions of it," she said.

“There are other women like me to speak to on LinkedIn and social media, plus networking events.

"Having the right qualifications and the experience means I just get on with the job."

Ms Healey's willingness to help those in her position has even seen her run a Twitter surgery every Thursday at 7pm, taking questions on her handle @DampProofExpert.

She admits issues around black mould issues or condensation control and timber rot are rarely high on people's agenda, with the surgeries rarely gaining more than one or two responses.

You cannot knock her enthusiasm - it is clear she is determined to break the glass ceiling that turns many women away from construction.

It can certainly be shattered - as Ms Healey's career path shows.

“At the beginning, some people wouldn’t even book an appointment with me," she said.

“But I’m really confident in my abilities and things I’ve learned through experience.

“If I’m confident and competent I don’t see why it should be a struggle.

“I just need to keep working hard and people will respect me.”