Ahead of International Women's Day on March 8th, Danielle Atherton – a Trainee Assistant Site Manager at David Wilson Homes North West's Stanneylands development – has urged women to “go for it” when it comes to pursuing a career in the construction industry.

The 23-year-old joined the luxury development's team in April 2019 after having been bitten by the construction bug at an early age. Her father, Gary, is also a Senior Site Manager for David Wilson Homes.

From 2015 to 2019, the number of women working in construction grew from 9.9% to 14.5%.

Danielle believes that the higher number of women working in construction is because the perception of the industry being “a boys' club” is changing.

“Since I started working at David Wilson Homes, I have come across and spoken to lots of other women working in construction,” she said. “Some of them are even on the same career path as me. I think it's important to get the word out there that the industry is no longer a boys' club.”

Manchester-born Danielle underlined the attitude of the Stanneylands on-site team as an example of how attitudes have shifted towards female construction workers.  

“Everyone on-site has so much respect for you and you don't get treated any differently because of your gender,” she continued. “There are many different trades on-site and one of the main things that stood out to me is that they have always made me feel welcome and taken on-board any suggestions I have made.

“Sometimes a different set of eyes can bring new ideas and a different way of doing things – I think this understanding is another important reason why more women are joining and should be encouraged to become part of the construction industry.”

Danielle also explained that David Wilson Homes' dedication to equality is another factor in what drives more women to pursue a construction career.

“David Wilson Homes has been really supportive in ensuring I get the training and support I need to progress in my career,” she continued. “I feel that the company is fully committed to giving people an equal chance to progress in their career regardless of their gender.

“Since I joined the company, I have seen a number of women working on-site get promoted, which I feel encourages more of us to start a construction career.

“If I had to give a piece of advice to another woman who is considering a career in construction, it would be to go for it! I am so glad I took the decision. It's a great opportunity and something I definitely don't regret doing.”

Rob Holbrook, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes North West added: “Being a five-star housebuilder goes far beyond the quality of our homes – it's about creating diverse conditions where employees of all backgrounds, genders and sexualities can thrive and build a successful construction career.

“We're delighted to see employees like Danielle bring a fresh perspective on how things are done and encourage more women to pursue a career in the industry.

“We very much hope to see more women join David Wilson Homes and we are eager to see how Danielle's career progresses with us in the future.”

There are 10 properties priced from £537,500 remaining at Stanneylands, which is located 1.1 miles away from the highly-desirable Cheshire town of Wilmslow. The development also boasts strong transport links with Wilmslow train station and Manchester Airport a short drive away.

Stanneylands is located 1.1 miles away from the highly-desirable Cheshire town of Wilmslow, with 10 properties priced from £537,500 currently available at the development.

Stanneylands also boasts strong transport links with Wilmslow train station and Manchester Airport a short drive away.

To register an interest in any of the properties at Stanneylands, please visit the on-site sales and information centre. Opening hours: Monday 12.30 to 17:30 and Tuesday to Sunday between 10.00 to 17:30

For more information about any David Wilson Homes developments in the area, visit the website at www.dwh.co.uk, alternatively, call the sales hotline on 033 3355 8480.

Further details on current career opportunities with David Wilson Homes can be found at www.barrattcareers.co.uk.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. For further information about David Wilson Homes please contact Emily Howett on 0116 247 1777 or emily@unsworthsugden.co.uk
2. David Wilson Homes are part of Barratt Developments PLC, a FTSE100 company
3. Barratt Group sold 17,856 homes in the year to June 2019, making it the biggest housebuilder by volume in Britain
4. Barratt was awarded a maximum five star rating for the tenth consecutive year in the 2019 Home Builders Federation Customer Satisfaction Survey
5. Site managers working for Barratt Group won 84 awards for quality workmanship in the 2019 NHBC Pride in the Job Awards. Barratt has won more Pride in the Job awards than any other housebuilder for the last 15 years.