International Women’s Day and building the future Lifting Industry
On International Women’s Day the world celebrated the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. The global Lifting Industry proudly demonstrates how woman are progressing in exciting careers and building their futures.
Our industry is rich in the contributions made by woman throughout our history, from Mary Macarthur of the National Federation of Women Workers, who in 1910 led the women chain makers of Cradley Heath on strike to improve conditions and wages for woman in factories across the UK.
Today, our women directors, vice presidents, company owners, innovators, marketing specialists, inspectors, engineers and operatives are not only demonstrating the opportunities in this engineering sector but are also doing important work in supporting LEEA members and raising the profile of an industry that is vital to the growth of economies around the world.
While LEEA is proud to represent an industry full of prominent women in leading roles it is also important to recognise that a great many women are working as unsung heroes in jobs that keep the industry operating.
We are all aware of the recruitment challenge faced by our sector, which makes encouraging more women to enter the Lifting Industry essential for our future growth.
Opportunities are boundless in a Lifting Industry that is truly global and includes a myriad of occupations and fulfilling careers in which to build a future. They can be in sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, ports and maritime, construction, mining, quarrying, defence and renewables. And there are a multitude of non-industrial sectors that offer their own attractions, such as entertainment, medical, aeronautical, agricultural and the military. Roles may include working with IT and intelligent technology, mechanical engineering, design, safety, sales, marketing, administration and management.
It is vital for the long term success of our industry that we support women getting into roles traditionally perceived as male dominated and to offer advice on overcoming challenges in the workplace.
LEEA is a big advocate of competency, and focusing on competency-based hiring, is a positive way to encourage a more balanced workforce. Inclusive, non-masculine language in job ads, and implementing salary transparency will also help.
Once in the industry, mentorship and sponsorship are critical for career progression and we must look at creative ideas to retain female engineers. This is important, given that statistics show a significant decrease in women aged 35 to 64 in the engineering field, often due to work-life balance issues and the demanding nature of the work and hours involved. These are issues that can be addressed – as engineers we are adept at devising solutions.
It’s a great time to join the Lifting Industry and show what you can do. So, on International Women’s Day, while acknowledging the contributions woman have made to our history, LEEA encourages woman to get involved in lifting and build the industry of the future.
