Raising Female Aspirations

What an amazing experience and a great lead up to International Women’s Day to have met around 200 Year 10 female students last week and to talk with them about raising female aspirations to work within the built environment and in other industries that are so often underrepresented by women, particularly at senior level.

Given what we do in the industry affects them so directly and the results are all around us, it still surprises me that there is such a lack of knowledge of it as a career option. Having come to planning slightly later in life, it was something I knew I wanted to study and be actively involved in, but there is clearly a need to find ways of engaging young people in their built environment earlier in life if we are going to entice more into the industry. 

Thank you to everyone at Leasowes High School, Halesowen and Grace Academy, Coventry for making me feel so welcome, and to the Grace Foundation, Spitfire Homes / IM Properties, and RTPI West Midlands for the opportunity.