Meet Ellie

In July 2015, Ellie completed our 10 pop up interior decorating course. She gave 100% commitment and decided at the…

International Women Day. This year’s theme has picked up the momentum off the back of #MeToo and #TimesUp, and encourages us to #PressforProgress, meaning lets join together in pushing global attention towards achieving the ultimate goal of gender equality. Women are said to make up a quarter of the UK construction workforce by 2020, but I think there is still a lack of awareness and flexibility. Significant progress made in encouraging women into construction over the last decade with the majority of women saying their employer actively encourages female recruitment 16% of women also said lack of flexibility or part-time working was one of the reasons they had left the industry or knew someone who had. From September 2017, parents can enjoy up to 30 free hours childcare a week for three and four-year-old, which should give women with younger children more flexibility and increase the opportunity to return to work. So this International Women’s Day, take a moment to thank your friends, mothers, sisters, co-workers and more for all that they do to make the world a little bit better, every single day — but then take it one step further. Continue the conversation and find out what you can do to press for progress and practice gender parity in your own daily life. Pledge your support, call out gender-based bias, challenge convention, and encourage the ambition and creativity of men and women equally. Above all, do not fear collaboration.