Jones Bros shines spotlight on equity for International Women’s Day8th Mar 2023

Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK is celebrating International Women’s Day.

This year’s theme is centred around embracing equity to get the world talking about why equal opportunities aren’t enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action.

We spoke to just some of the fantastic females we employ to talk about International Women’s Day and what working for Jones Bros means to them.

Stephanie Craney

Finance manager Stephanie joined the Jones Bros team six months ago and is happy her new workplace is encouraging more women into the industry.

She said: “Historically, construction sites haven’t been somewhere where women are pictured and the effects of this are still prominent today. I remember my daughter saying she couldn’t imagine herself working in the sector.

“However, Jones Bros is making an active effort to break down these barriers for young women by going into schools and speaking to girls about their career choices – including going to my daughter’s school, Prestatyn High.

“Showcasing more women in these roles will reshape representation within the industry and is what attracted me to the company in the first place.”

Sian Deane

Health and safety advisor Sian is focused on changing the face of the profession and encouraging more young women to consider the sector as a promising career path.

The former hairdresser said: “Health and safety is constantly evolving and with that, there should be a diverse set of people working in the role, too.

“I’ve loved switching from a female-dominated job to a career on construction sites, as it means I’m part of the effort to break down barriers and represent women where they’re not expected to be seen.

“Recently, a young woman joined the health and safety team in an entry level position. It’s been great to watch her start her career at the company, and to see more women progress in these roles.”

Casey Parry

As part of the Jones Bros business, Casey has found a supportive and engaging employer.

The health, safety, and environment assistant, who joined the Ruthin-headquartered company in January 2023, said: “I’ve really enjoyed working at Jones Bros over the last two months, and look forward to seeing where the role takes me.

“I’ve been made to feel extremely welcome and part of the team, and that’s so important to me.

“It is also encouraging to see females in a range of roles within the business, both in the support function and site delivery teams.”

Hayley Davies

Hayley previously worked in the retail sector as a department manager, which encompassed store-level human resources, before joining Jones Bros as an HR assistant 16 months ago.

Within six months she was promoted to HR section manager and is currently studying towards a level five CIPD associate diploma in people management.

She said: “Equity is about giving people the right tools to succeed, and during my time at Jones Bros, I’ve been entrusted to build a team. We have also received encouragement from senior managers to mould a department that works for the business and its employees.

“From my experience working at Jones Bros, I’ve found as long as you have a fire in your belly to learn the skills, you will be supported in your climb to any level.”

Samantha Green

Samantha has been a quantity surveyor at Jones Bros for 18 months and is a huge champion for the opportunities and experience that apprenticeships can bring.

She said: “When I was at school, there was very limited options in apprenticeships for girls, and construction wasn’t one of them. Fast forward to now and the options are so much better, with a higher number of girls inspired to work in construction or engineering.

“More education is still needed in schools to raise awareness of just how many career routes are available to girls.

“Doing a quantity surveying apprenticeship wasn’t my original plan, but I’ve never looked back.”

Lisa Tudor

Lisa is head of commercial at Jones Bros and has been with the company for 15 years, which she feels is testimony to the kind of organisation it is.

She said: “Jones Bros has a high employee retention, which certainly breeds a friendly working environment. Some people have known each other for years and with that comes an ethos where everyone is supportive.

“Jones Bros embraces equity with its investment in people, regardless of your level of experience. It always encourages personal development and training – some members of the commercial team have even done all their higher education while working at the company.”