SPOA forms Women in Plant group
6 March 2024
The Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) has established a working group to better represent the interests of women in plant and to attract more females into the industry.
Women in Plant will be co-chaired by Immediate SPOA Past President, Callum Mackintosh, and Gail McEwen, Director and Lead Trainer at the Setting Out For Construction training business.
Gail, pictured above, is a plant operator, civil engineer, an approved trainer for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and is currently completing a PhD at Glasgow Caledonian University.
The working group’s priorities for the year include promoting understanding of issues which affect women in construction, particularly in the areas of health and well-being; providing support with training opportunities; and creating content to inspire young females to consider a career in the plant industry.
“I am delighted to be involved in this initiative,” said Gail. “I have been championing women in industry for a long time now, but we are more powerful when we join forces. In many ways, the industry has progressed so much since I first started 15 years ago and that is really heartening. I heard from my peers that they were happy in their jobs, felt supported and respected, and saw a path to career progression.
“However, there are other challenges that still remain, ranging from health and well-being concerns to basic amenities like toilet facilities on a construction site. Additionally, there is an under-representation of women in managerial positions.
“While strides have been made to increase the number of women in senior roles, it's crucial that these appointments are not seen as mere tokens but are made with the intention of gaining meaningful insights to enhance career opportunities for women in the field.
“I’d like to thank and acknowledge the SPOA for taking such a proactive approach and encouraging women to be part of shaping this industry.”
Callum Mackintosh added: “This is a significant milestone for the SPOA. We now have a working group made up of women who each bring different skills and experience but who are all passionate about promoting careers for women in the plant industry.”
Women in Plant will meet frequently throughout the year and will also organise open events. Anyone in the plant industry wishing to highlight an issue they would like support on, or to find out more about the initiative, can email the group here.
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