Q&A with Paula Thompson
The construction industry has long been considered a male-dominated sector, but progress is being made. More women are stepping into technical and leadership roles, demonstrating their expertise and trying to drive change.
To mark International Women’s Day this year, we sat down with one of our own, Paula Thompson, Technical Commercial Manager at Fleming Timber Structures to learn more about her career journey, the challenges she has faced, and what the industry can do to encourage more women to thrive in construction.
Q: Paula, can you tell us about how you got started in construction?
A: I originally considered pursuing architecture as I had always liked technical drawing at school however decided to wait a year before going to uni, in that year I landed a job at Torwood Timber Systems as a trainee timber frame design technician and I’ve been in construction (specifically timber frame) ever since.
Q: What challenges have you faced as a woman in construction?
A: I feel like sometimes I have to work a little harder to prove my knowledge than others in the room. I have also had the experience where people are passed to me on a phone call and they assume they have been passed back to reception. It’s an unconscious bias, I hope, but it’s still a bias.
Q: Do you think things are improving for women in the industry?
A: Yes, they definitely are but probably not fast enough. More women are in leadership roles which is great, but real change requires time and a higher volume of us pushing back on stereotypes.
Q: What role does visibility and representation play in getting more women into construction?
Q: What can companies do to encourage more women to enter and stay in the field?
Q: What advice would you give to women considering a career in construction?
Q: What’s your vision for the future of women in construction?
A: I want to see an industry where women are no longer the exception. With real opportunities and a shift in outdated norms, the next generation won’t face the same battles. Change is happening, but we need to push harder to make it last.
