'Brilliant bosses' & sexism - tradeswomen reveal their stories

Just one per cent of those in manual trade are female, according to Women on the Tools. 

The trade industry is often described as a ‘man’s world’, perhaps due to the physically arduous nature of the work, and the lack of female representation over time. Speaking to a number of tradeswomen who shared their personal stories of working in the industry, The Guardian found that the women experienced issues such as sexism, but also told of their supportive colleagues and their pride of working in trade.

Holli Brooks, who works in maintenance, said the trade industry hasn’t really moved on since the 1950s. “I have often felt like the ‘token woman’, employed to make the company look good but not treated as an equal,” she explained. “When I first started, blokes would look me up and down and objectify me. You need a thick skin and you have to prove yourself time and time again. But my boss and the colleague I work with have been brilliant. Change simply isn’t going to happen without more women coming into the industry. It isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.”

Catherine Devriese, a Freelance Renovator and Interior Architect says that she gets mistaken for being the builder’s wife or secretary, but despite that, customers are always pleased to see a woman in the role. “People seem to trust a woman more than a group of young men, especially as you’re left alone in someone’s house,” she said. “It is a man’s world, with workwear and tools made for men’s hands and bodies. There are women-friendly tools on the market that are smaller and lighter – but why they have to be made in Barbie pink is beyond me.”