For a long time, the construction industry has been dominated by men. In recent times, this perception has been challenged and changed. Women in Construction Week was founded by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) in 1953, in order to raise awareness of women in the construction industry and offer a support system to those women, with over 120 chapters and over 4,000 members of the NAWIC across the globe.
To celebrate International Women’s Day and Women in Construction Week 2025, we sat down with Victoria Badnell, Lifting and Safety Sales Manager at MGF, to ask her about her journey in the construction industry so far.
I’ve had loads of mentors in and outside of the industry. There are women all around me, from family, friends, colleagues and superiors. These women help ground me, support me, and guide me on the challenges that I face in my professional and personal life. I think it is also important to recognise that I have some amazing male role models and mentors in my life as well. This is equally as important. We all look at things differently, and it’s always important to gain advice and guidance from several people.
I would like to see more awareness from a young age, working with schools, youth programmes, brownies, cubs, etc. There are many ways to expose the next generation to construction and the roles within the industry. We all need to be better and take responsibility as individuals and as an industry. A simple change all businesses can make to support is a women-specific PPE range. You shouldn’t have to ask or fight for it because it may be more expensive. It’s a very simple request but it makes life on site easier. It’s not fun wearing a hi-viz coat and trousers that are too long in the arms or legs.
Be confident in yourself, your abilities and knowledge. Have goals that align with what you are looking to achieve. Most importantly be humble and recognise you don’t know everything and you are always learning! Be comfortable with being uncomfortable – I always learn when I am challenged.
I did an NVQ Business admin apprenticeship and fell into a sales administration role 15 years ago, which then grew into a sales role. I was very fortunate that at the start of my career to work for a business that encouraged an understanding of how the products worked in the applications. This was great for me as I am very much a practical and visual learner. I didn’t face many challenges as a woman at the beginning of my career, but as my career has grown, the challenges have presented themselves in many different scenarios.
I would love to say no, but the reality is yes, I believe I have over certain points in my career so far. I have to talk it out (those aforementioned role models come in handy) and take a step back. We will never learn if we don’t share how we have been made to feel, so having a clear and open conversation is also important.
It’s important to share my knowledge and experiences – what use is it to just me? You never know who will learn from it. Show up and be there, whether it is for a chat, guidance or a shoulder to cry on. Ultimately, I’m just me, and I’ll keep showing up on both the good and bad days.
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