Jacqueline Mars is health, safety and wellbeing advisor at BW: Workplace Experts
I haven’t always worked in construction – I moved to the sector following time as a civil servant, safeguarding children. For several years I supported the education of teachers and parents about social media safety and collaborating with multiple agencies to protect children. It was rewarding work but emotionally draining and I knew that it wasn’t a career I wanted to do for life. I was introduced to the idea of construction through a friend’s husband, who let me know the lucrative opportunities out there for those with valuable skills in construction, such as crane operating. I had no experience in the field but made a bold decision to invest £2,400 in a crane course.
“I’ve learned to handle criticism, intimidation, and sometimes outright hostility”
The first challenge I encountered was finding work. Despite completing my crane course, no one would hire me without practical experience. I needed a blue card, but to get that required 600 hours of on-the-job experience. To get this experience, I first worked as a traffic marshal to get close to crane operations and network with those who could offer me opportunities. I built relationships with the crane operators, which eventually led to me securing time on a crane and building up the hours I needed.
I was very determined to prove my worth and this is something that has followed me throughout my career in construction. There is a lot of pressure in my experience, and you are under more scrutiny. Construction work, especially on site, is very male-dominated and often I’d be stared at. In other scenarios I’ve been asked if I am the cleaner. On another occasion, an administrator entered and immediately looked at the men in the room, and at no point did it seem to occur to them that the crane operator could be a woman.
Supporting women
I believe there needs to be more training and awareness to address gender bias in the construction industry. It’s about more than just hiring women, it’s about ensuring they have the support they need to succeed when they are in the role and ensuring that the workforce is more aware of how to work with women and not to alienate them.
Working with several agencies who placed me on different sites as a crane operator helped me understand the industry’s ebb and flow, and over time I felt that my strong attention to detail was something I could use to my advantage. I’d often be working and see some shocking breaches of health and safety and wanted to transition to a role where I could make a difference to best practice and people’s health and wellbeing.
I trained to become a NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) certified professional, which allowed me to take on a role as a self-employed health and safety advisor. I now work at BW: Workplace Experts, responsible for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of employees on site, particularly where crane operation is involved. I also work hard to create a culture of recognition, rewarding good performance and reinforcing the importance of following safety protocols.
Building a strong character and staying resilient have been key to navigating my career in construction. It is not always easy, but I’ve learned to handle criticism, intimidation, and sometimes outright hostility. I want to change this for women and I’m now working towards creating a network to helping support women enter and then thrive in the construction industry. I was lucky to have a male friend in the industry who could help to guide me, but not all women will have this sort of support.
The more diverse perspectives we bring to the table, the better the outcomes there will be. I’m proud of my journey so far, and I’m eager to help shape the future for women in this industry.
