Jobs for the girls (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Jobs for the girls

5:00pm Wednesday 7th June 2006 in News By Sally Clifford

Working in construction used to be a job for the boys. But with more women builders, joiners and plumbers coming into the industry, brother and sister Keith and Jayne Barber decided to make use of their skills by setting up a ground-breaking women-only construction company.

They joined forces four years ago after gardener Keith was offered voluntary severance from the local authority where he had worked for 20 years.

"I took some time off and painted my mum's house, then a neighbour asked if I'd do theirs. It went on from there. I fell into decorating by default rather than intention," says Keith.

He and Jayne, a qualified painter and decorator, discovered potential perils working with other tradesmen while managing larger scale contracts renovating buy-to-let properties.

"The age old problem came with contractors not turning up or charging too much all those intrinsic problems," says Keith.

Having recruited former biscuit packer and trainee decorator and plasterer Louise Lindley, whom Jayne met playing football with Bradford City women's team, the pair soon identified their most successful contractors were women.

"That's when the penny dropped and we said let's set up our building company with women'. It's such a unique idea," says Keith.

"Women have a different work ethic and, being a man and the only one in our company, I find the way they approach their work is completely different. They do their work with a conscience they're polite, they're very respectful of other people's property and they clean up! Their communication skills are much better and they're softer on the edges.

"The ethics of all the women we employ are fantastic and we want to replicate this."

It's a year since they launched sheBUILD UK Ltd. The company, currently run from Keith's Tong Street home, offers carpentry, decorating, gardening and plastering services by skilled women. They also have female contractors they can use for other services such as electrical work.

For Jayne, it's a dream come true. After spending 15 years in a predominantly male industry, she wants to help other women achieve careers in construction.

"I've always worked with men and I love the job. That's why I stuck it out for so long. But setting up a company like this is what I dreamed about 15 years ago," she says.

She was in her late teens when she achieved her City & Guilds in painting and decorating at Keighley College but she was some time before securing her first job. "I thought I wasn't being taken seriously," Jayne says.

When she finally found work with a large contractor she felt she was having to prove herself all the time, just because she was female.

"You really had to fight to be looked at as an equal but I stuck it out because it's what I wanted to do," she says.

Lugging ladders around when you're only 5ft tall isn't easy but Jayne never complained under the weight. To be treated as an equal she had to be seen as an equal.

More women coming into construction is finally forcing improvements.

Jayne says: "There are a lot more opportunities now for girls to get into it but I think a lot of girls still think it will be hard to get into.

"What I would say is if that's what you want to do then you have to go for it. Sometimes it's hard when you're on a building site. You have to get your hands mucky and you may break a nail now and then, but if you want to do it then go for it."

If Keith has his way they'll be setting up sheBUILD in every town and city. He adds: "Whatever men can do, women can do."

l For further information call the company on (01274) 688999.