This article has been supplied.“Construction is no longer an industry where women have to wait for a place to be made for them. It is an industry where they can shape decisions, influence outcomes and help define the future of the sector,” says Lisa Ker, Group Supply Chain Manager at M&D Construction.
For Lisa, the growing presence of women in construction cannot simply be measured by how many women have entered an industry that was historically dominated by men. “The real value lies in creating an industry where people with different experiences, perspectives and approaches can contribute and influence how it develops,” she says.
Lisa has spent most of her career in construction and has witnessed considerable change in the opportunities available to women. When she entered the industry, it was not unusual to be the only woman in a meeting or on a project team. Today, women are increasingly represented across engineering, project management, operations, supply chain and leadership.
However, she notes that progress should mean more than increasing representation. It should mean creating an environment where women are judged on what they bring to the industry, rather than on whether they conform to its traditional expectations.
