International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It is also a day to raise awareness about the challenges that women still face in achieving gender equality.
In the construction industry as a whole, some women continue to face challenges related to gender bias, unequal pay, lack of mentorship and a lack of representation in leadership roles. However, there are also many examples of successful women in the industry who have overcome these challenges and achieved great success. Clare Ashmore, COO of Parkeray is one of those women.
Now in her 20th year with Parkeray, Clare has a wealth of experience in the industry and is a fantastic role model for many professional women looking to pave their way in a still very much male-dominated environment.
We invited Claire to host an informal Q&A session in the office with our ladies, providing the forum and opportunity to discuss the challenges and obstacles we face as professional females. Whether taking time out of our careers to have children or having those tough conversations with our male counterparts.
Clare believes that it's important to be persistent and resilient in the face of challenges and to advocate for yourself and other women in the industry.
By working together and supporting each other, women can help to create a more inclusive and equitable construction industry
> I was fortunate to join our amazing industry at a time that didn’t feel like a man’s world. Yes, I was one of very few women in the industry 25 years ago but I never felt as if I needed to be like a man, to be anyone other than myself or to compete with other women. I believe if you find an amazing role model who you respect and who treats everyone fairly….mine was male by the way….you can achieve great things without it being a battle. ‘Find your people’ and your career will flow.
> I will share some advice I received as a teenager which I believe is relevant for anyone progressing through their career, but especially for those women who may feel less comfortable in asking for promotion; ‘whether you are asked to do it, paid to do it, if it is on your job description or expected of you or not….just do the role over and above and that experience will belong to you.’ Then receiving the promotion (and even asking for it) is no surprise to anyone and your worth is already recognised.
> It was a pleasure to spend time with the passionate, talented and incredibly open women at Parmarbrook. Thank you so much for inviting me in."
Claire Ashmore
As a business, Parmarbrook believes it’s important to actively work towards creating an inclusive and diverse workplace culture providing equal opportunities and development for all.