The all too frequent perception of women in construction is either as secretaries or pin-ups on site-office walls. But now a small college teaching building studies is deconstructing the industry's macho image. Victoria Madine talks to five of its students 鈥� and on page 42, a BAA project manager gives her account of life with the lads.
According to the stereotypes, the only women to be found in the construction industry are pouting out of girlie calendars or red-tops in site huts. The statistics do little to discourage this perception: just 9.8% of construction's workforce are women, most of whom work in support roles.

So it is commendable that the Construction Industry Training Board has set itself the target of a 10% year-on-year increase in the number of young women entering construction. And it is even more heartening that Bexley College is proving that it can be done.

At this small college in Belvedere, north Kent, a fifth of the students who recently completed their first year of building studies are women. On the college's higher national certificate course in building, six out of 30 are female 鈥� and all are set on a career in construction.

Fran Carton, building studies tutor at the college, says the number of girls studying on the two-year, part-time course has tripled since 2001 because of its determined effort to boost diversity. "We have close links with local building firms and a reputation for encouraging our students to do as well as they can," he says. "Most of our students come here on referral. It's wonderfully encouraging to work with so many girls, all of whom are strong students."

Carton says a more diverse class makes for a better educational experience for all the students. "Having girls in the class is great for us tutors. The girls tend to be less wary than the boys of making mistakes or sharing their views, which means we have more group discussion in class," he explains. "And I've noticed that the boys are less aggressive with each other when the girls are around."

Four of the six girls are already working in construction, albeit in back-office roles, and are attending the college to improve their career prospects. Three of these are being sponsored by their employers 鈥� however not all are so fortunate.

For the CITB, Bexley's success is proof that construction is starting to become more appealing to women. Di Barber, equal opportunities and diversity adviser at the CITB, says: "People are now realising that there is a need to promote the aspirational aspects of the industry 鈥� namely, how we want to be rather than what we are at the moment. But we still need a critical mass of women to really benefit from their input."

好色先生TV talked to five of the women about to progress on to the second and final year of their HNC course. We asked them for their views on the role of women in the industry, why they chose a career in construction and what the industry could do to achieve a better-balanced workforce.

Rosemarie McEvoy from south-east London wants to specialise in building surveying. She is 25 years old and has spent the past six years as a contracts officer with Botes 好色先生TV.

Why construction?
My father was a painter and decorator, so I grew up with it around me. My company has taken me out on site visits, which fired up my interest.
What do your family and friends think?
My mum is very proud. I lost my father five years ago, but I know he鈥檇 be thrilled, too. Thinking about him makes me all the more determined to succeed. My brothers think it鈥檚 wonderful that their little sister is training to be a surveyor. My boyfriend鈥檚 an industrial plumber and his initial reaction was 鈥淗uh?鈥�. But he鈥檚 supportive as well.
And after the HNC?
I鈥檒l go on to do a degree in building surveying at the University of Greenwich.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years鈥� time?
I鈥檇 like to be a surveyor manager in a company that carries out on-site inspections. Botes is so supportive that I鈥檇 be happy to stay there.
What do you think the industry could do to attract more women?
Companies should take their female admin staff on site visits and encourage them to train.

Danielle Luck is 21 years old and lives with her family in Dartford. Like Rosemarie, she has spent the past five years as a contracts administrator with London-based Botes 好色先生TV

Why construction?
I like learning about practical things 鈥� hands-on stuff. I joined Botes straight from school to work in general admin. You know, things like filing, answering the phone 鈥� all the things you do when you鈥檝e just left school. After I鈥檇 been with the company a year, Peter Whitehead, the area director of the company, suggested that I do some training.
What do those close to you think of your career plans?
Mum and Dad have been lovely about it. My Dad buys me flowers every time I pass an exam or achieve something. My boyfriend鈥檚 great about it as well. He鈥檚 always amazed by how much I know when I make some comment about a DIY programme on TV. Some people are a bit surprised when I tell them what I do, but on the whole people are supportive. And as for the other students 鈥� well, women have got all the brains 鈥� they definitely need us here.
And after you鈥檝e completed the HNC?
I鈥檒l keep going 鈥� why stop? I鈥檇 like to go to Greenwich University to study building surveying. It would give me all sorts of opportunities. I鈥檒l probably stay with Botes, but I want to achieve it for myself.
Are you worried about how some men could react to you on site?
No. You鈥檙e just as likely to get whistled at on the street as you are on a building site. You鈥檝e got to have a positive attitude and give as good as you get 鈥� then they鈥檒l leave it alone. When I tell the lads at work they鈥檝e done something wrong, they can barely get the words out to answer me. It鈥檚 as though you鈥檝e got a certain power over them.

Stephanie Haycraft, a 34-year-old mother of four from south London, has completed her NVQ Level 3 in painting and decorating and is now specialising in building surveying.

Why construction?
I鈥檝e always had to do my own decorating and enjoy doing it. A few years ago I got fed up of being at home with the kids, so when I heard about the decorating course run by Bexley aimed at women with kids, I went for it. It was great because it was held during school hours.
How did the blokes react?
Some of the blokes we trained alongside took offence that we were there and called me a lesbian, while others were more supportive. Most of the men ended up asking the women for help, especially on the decorative work, because women were more interested in the final look, whereas men just slapped on the paint. But the men on the course have reacted really well.
So men aren鈥檛 a problem. What is?
Money. I got funding for my first year from the European Social Fund, but things could be very different for year two. My partner recently moved in with me and he鈥檚 on Job Seekers鈥� Allowance, which means he鈥檚 eligible to work, but I鈥檓 not eligible for ESF funding any more. It鈥檚 mad.
What鈥檚 your dream job?
I鈥檇 like to be a health and safety officer but you need a minimum of four years鈥� experience. I鈥檓 doing two courses on health and safety in addition to the HNC course and I鈥檒l try looking for a job again once I鈥檝e finished the HNC.
What do your children think?
My son, the eldest, is 17 and is going to become a bricklayer. He thinks it鈥檚 great. My eldest daughter is keen to follow in my footsteps and I鈥檓 pushing my two youngest to do as well as they can at school.
What could the industry do to support women in your position?
If you鈥檙e out of work, why not get full funding to train? It鈥檚 hard for those on Job Seekers鈥� Allowance to get a decent job because of the lack of training available to them. Any help with childcare is desperately needed.

Carol Noding is Thames Water鈥檚 only female network services technician. The 36-year-old from Crayford got the job after doing a City & Guilds in plumbing, but is now hoping to specialise in building surveying.

Why construction?
I went through a period of being unemployed and happened to see an advert for a plumbing course. I studied plumbing for three years before getting my job with Thames Water. But it鈥檚 very manual 鈥� heavy work that involves doing things like changing massive valves 鈥� and a couple of years ago I decided that I didn鈥檛 want to be doing this kind of work for the next 10 years, so I came to Bexley. I wanted to do something that would allow me to progress in the long term, and earn better money.
And after the HNC?
I鈥檇 love to go to Greenwich University to study building surveying, but I鈥檓 taking one year at a time. I鈥檝e got a mortgage to pay, although I don鈥檛 have children so I don鈥檛 have childcare to worry about. I don鈥檛 know what I鈥檇 do if I had to give up work 鈥� maybe I would go; I鈥檒l cross that bridge when I get to it. Ultimately, I鈥檇 like a job with Thames as a building surveyor or to be self-employed.
What do you think the industry could do to improve women鈥檚 chances of success?
Companies need to be more supportive financially. I did ask Thames for sponsorship but they decided that the course wouldn鈥檛 benefit me in the job I鈥檓 doing so they decided not to fund me or allow me time off work to go to college. I鈥檓 funding myself. The course costs 拢700 a year and I鈥檝e been using my annual leave to take a Thursday off work each week to come here. Now that I鈥檝e used up my leave, I鈥檓 working on Saturdays so that I can still come to college. If I had kids, doing this course would have been impossible. So as things stand at the moment I don鈥檛 think there is equality of opportunity, because if you need childcare, things are very difficult. But my friends and family have been great.

Melanie Bullard, aged 20 from Belvedere, Kent, joined social housing contractor United House after finishing her A levels. She is specialising in quantity surveying.

Why construction?
When I left school I applied for an accounting job with United. I didn鈥檛 know anything about construction. After they accepted me I went into their buying department, and from there, developed an interest in estimating. I really enjoyed my maths A level and like working with numbers so it seemed like a good idea to do some training, and handy for whatever I decide to do in the future.
Was it your idea to come to Bexley?
My company arranged for me to come here and study for the bridge course into the HNC. I was really keen and I鈥檝e enjoyed the whole course.
And what about after you鈥檝e finished the HNC?
I hope to qualify as an estimator. As for university 鈥� I鈥檒l see how things go.
So how do people react when you tell them your career plans?
My friends are OK about it. Nobody鈥檚 said it鈥檚 odd, so far. I鈥檝e not been out on site many times, but when I have the blokes have been fine.

Women in construction