Roles For Women
Watch this video from our Director, Anne King, where she talks in more detail about the wide range of roles available for women within our company and how we actively support their development across the business.
Our Commitment To Equality
As of 2022, it was reported that women only make up 16.5% of all engineers across the UK. Although this is a small increase from 10.5% reported in 2010, there is certainly a still long way to go for gender equality in the industry. Steven Hunt & Associates are committed to promoting a diverse workplace and giving equal opportunities irrespective of gender and hope to be a driving force behind encouraging more women to become a part of the industry. To celebrate International Women’s Day, we spoke to some of our leading women about their experience in the industry.
Katie Bastow
Katie is in the exciting early stages of her career and is currently undertaking an Engineering Apprenticeship at Steven Hunt. After studying Physics, Maths and Geography for her A-Levels, Katie realised she was fascinated by how things work and started exploring a career in Engineering.
She approached Steven Hunt & Associates who were delighted to offer her 2 weeks of work experience. The team were so impressed by Katie’s potential and she started her Apprenticeship Degree in May 2023. Degree apprenticeships allow students to incorporate both classroom learning and also hands-on experience in their chosen industry.
Despite spending the beginning of her education in an all-girls school, Katie hasn’t been phased by a transition into an industry dominated by men and is enjoying the hands-on learning and the support she has received from the team.
“Don’t be put off” Katie says “I had people tell me it’s ‘not for women’, it’s the 21st century and you still get comments like that! I say don’t listen to what other people tell you - just go with what you want”.
Erika McStea
On the other side of the experience coin is Erika, who has worked in the construction industry for almost 40 years. Erika is a QUENSCH administrator here at Steven Hunt and plays a vital part in the day-to-day operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly between contractors and that health and safety regulations are adhered to.
First stepping foot in the construction industry in 1983, Erika has seen a drastic change in how women are treated within the sector.
“It’s completely transformed,” she says “But I know from my own experience working with females within the construction sector that there is more to be done, certainly within the school sector”.
“There is still a miscommunication that this is not a sector for girls,” Erika says “There tends to be an image (of construction) of a bricklayer on site. We need education of the whole concept cycle, whether it be within the design or the construction or post-financial management stages of the sector”.
Anne King
Director Anne King echoes these thoughts that more education about career options needs to start earlier if there are to be more women recruited into the industry.
“It has to start in school,” Anne says “Why aren’t they coming out and saying they want to work in construction? Why aren’t they coming out and saying they want to be a mechanical engineer?”
Anne has been with Steve Hunt & Associates for 14 years and is a friendly and familiar face to all of the team. Following previous experience within the construction and engineering industry, she joined Steven Hunt & Associates as a Business Development Manager as had built her way up to the board of Directors. She has been a key factor in the growth of the business through her drive and natural ability to build connections.
Steven Hunt & Associates is committed to encouraging equal opportunities for all aspiring professionals to truly engage the next generation of engineers, irrespective of their gender. By nurturing an inclusive workplace culture, we create an environment where young professionals feel valued and empowered to contribute to their fullest potential.
