Brett Smyth, General Manager of Ideal Industries EMEA, discusses the need to recruit more women to the sector and the challenges currently associated with attracting them.
It’s not that long ago that, no matter who you talked to, you’d rarely meet someone who knew a female electrician working ‘on the tools.’ But times are changing, and women make up an estimated 3% of electricians working in the UK currently.
Things are only changing slowly, however. That 3% is still a tiny proportion of the trade and, at a time when we need to boost the number of skilled electricians to enable the roll out of electrical vehicle infrastructure, renewables technologies and smart buildings, it’s indicative of a key challenge the industry faces.
If we need more electricians but most of the sector’s new recruits are being drawn from just half of the population – the male half – we’re missing a trick. And, unfortunately, the challenge is founded on a ‘chicken and egg’ conundrum: with so few women working as electricians, the next generation of potential female professionals often perceive electrical installation as a male preserve. As a result, the industry remains lacking in female role models and the slow pace of change remains frustratingly slow.
That’s why, when we came across Amy Barratt-Singh, a woman who retrained as an electrician – at her own expense – just four years ago, we were so impressed with her that we offered her some samples of our products and a sponsorship opportunity.
Why? Because she’s exactly the type of electrician the industry needs to inspire both women and men – including those already working in the sector and the next generation of professionals.
Having been discouraged from following her dream as a young school leaver, she returned to education aged 28 to retrain at her own expense while continuing to work as she learned. Now, just four years later, Amy has recently been promoted to Contracts Manager by her employer, Synergy Smart Homes, where she manages a team of four electricians.
It’s not just the way that Amy is progressing her own career that’s so impressive, it’s also how hard she’s working to inspire and encourage others. Active on both Instagram and YouTube, Amy is helping to show other women how rewarding a career ‘on the tools’ can be in both electrical and other trades, as well as encouraging school leavers into vocational training.
Let’s pick up the pace
With role models like Amy inspiring a new generation of potential electricians, it seems that the industry is making progress in attracting more women. Ideal Industries is keen to play a part in driving positive change too so that we can nurture talent and encourage a more diverse profession.
AN INTERVIEW WITH AMY
What made you want to become an electrician?
My grandad was a plumber and, as a kid, I loved helping him do jobs. Through this, I developed an enjoyment for learning practical skills. My two brothers grew up to be electricians but, as a girl, I wasn’t encouraged in that direction at school or at home. I didn’t really consider it as an option, so I ended up working in education. It was only when I was travelling for a year that I was able to step back and think about what I wanted from a career. Travelling also gave me the confidence to go for it, and I needed that because I had to pay my own way as a mature student and deal with being the only woman on my course.
Were your friends and family supportive of your choice?
There was a real male/female split in the response to my decision to retrain as an electrician. My mum was encouraging and my female friends were very supportive because they knew I really wanted it.
What did you find most challenging about training as an electrician?
Getting people to take me seriously was quite challenging at first and, because I had bills to pay, despite being in college 25 hours a week, I was working as many hours as I could to pay for my course and my living expenses too. That commitment is what helped me to gain the respect of my peers though, so it was worth it.
And the most rewarding?
Doing a job that I love! I’ve worked really hard from the outset and built on my initial decision to invest in myself with retraining by investing in tools and a van to boost my career.
How important has the Ideal Industries sponsorship been to you?
It’s great to have a globally-recognised electrical brand support and acknowledge what I’m doing to encourage others. I’ve used a few of the products and love them, especially the FT-45 Feed Thru modular plug system for data terminations, which I’ll be using a lot of now I’m working for a smart homes specialist. I’m excited to see where the relationship with Ideal will go and it’s great to know that the company is getting behind the need to encourage more women in the sector.
What else do you think can be done to encourage more women into the sector?
The best way is to show them images of people like them doing the job. That’s why I’m so active on social media. Companies can also help by putting women on their website and in the marketing materials so that the idea of women working as electricians becomes a normal, accepted career choice.
Why did you start your YouTube channel?
I started the channel and my Instagram to encourage other women to work as electricians and in the trades. I’m really proud to be inspiring others and it’s so rewarding when I’m contacted by women who just need a role model to help them believe in themselves and follow their dream.
What would your advice be to other women who want to work in the electrical sector?
I would definitely tell them to go for it! I love my job and have already progressed beyond where I anticipated in my career, but I can see more potential for career development ahead. I’d advise women to be confident, and committed to their goals, though.
I wish I’d been tougher in my first job as an electrician because I did encounter some prejudice, and I was so taken aback by how hostile some of my colleagues were to having a woman on the team that I didn’t respond in the way that would have earned me respect and acceptance a lot sooner.
The other piece of advice I’d give to anyone, male or female, is to invest in your career development for the long term. Work hard, get as much experience as you can by working in different environments and with different people that you can learn from.
And, of course, if an opportunity comes your way, whether it’s sponsorship from a company like Ideal, a chance to learn a new skill or a promotion, grab it with both hands!
