SESSIONS EMPOWERING WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION AT UK CONSTRUCTION WEEK
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UK Construction Week Birmingham (UKCW) will be celebrating the women making a real impact in the construction industry with a dedicated programme of panel discussions, skills workshops and networking opportunities.
Returning to the NEC from 29 September to 1 October, this year’s event will continue to address the ongoing challenges of representation and retention in the construction sector, while showcasing the spokespeople driving opportunities for greater diversity in the industry.
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With its bold new theme of ‘The Construction Reset’, UKCW Birmingham will be centred around three core areas - Building Better, Building Smarter and Building Responsibly. Across three packed days, the show will be hosting a programme of talks and workshops designed to champion the women shaping the built environment, and will include sessions aimed at inspiring leadership, driving cultural change, and creating meaningful connections across the industry.
Highlights include:
Tuesday 29th September
Build Connect Lounge, 10.30am
Women in Construction (WIC) Hub Connect
Women in Construction (WIC) Hub Connect brings together up to 40 women from across construction for networking with a purpose. Hosted by Design & Build UK in partnership with the WIC Hub, attendees will be matched based on their career journeys, challenges and experience, before working together on real industry challenges. Whether you meet a future mentor, a peer facing the same challenges or someone with a completely different perspective, the aim is simple: create introductions that lead to meaningful connections.
Building Safety & Occupational Safety Stage, 11.30am
I Belong Here: Inclusion as a Safety Imperative
A truly safe workplace is one where everyone feels respected, valued and able to speak up. This session will explore the critical role that diversity, equity and inclusion play in creating stronger safety cultures. The panel will bring together practitioners and leaders to discuss how organisations can remove barriers, address behaviours, build and foster psychological safety and ensure every individual feels they belong.
Speakers: Dana James-Edwards (Head of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect - Supply Chain Sustainability School), David Stevens (Director of Estates, Facilities & Capital Development, East London NHS Foundation Trust & Vice President, CIBSE), Desiree Blamey (Managing Director, Considerate Constructors Scheme), Nagina Bawar (Technical Director, Waterman Aspen & Professional Development Manager, Muslims in Construction (MIC)), Sandi Rhys-Jones OBE (Former President - CIOB)
Build Connect Lounge, 11.45am
Women Building the Reset
Women Building the Reset is a facilitated networking experience bringing women from across construction together for focused conversations about the changes our industry needs. Through structured conversations and rotating roundtables, participants will explore four areas central to construction’s future: the workforce, how we build, responsibility and the rules of the game.
It’s an opportunity to move beyond surface-level networking, share experiences and perspectives, hear how others are approaching common challenges and build new relationships with women from across the built environment.
Construction RESET Stage, 3.00pm
Women in Construction Panel, Meet Up and Networking
Hear directly from successful women in construction as they share their career journeys, practical advice and the lessons that have shaped their paths. This session will spotlight award-winning role models, the opportunities ahead for women in the industry, and what meaningful progress looks like in creating a more inclusive construction sector.
Speakers: Desiree Blamey (Managing Director, Considerate Constructors Scheme), Emma Richman (Assistant Director, Strategic Asset Management, Altair & Past President, Women in Property), Karina Wood (Project Manager, Women in Construction Anglia), Michaela Wain (Managing Director, Design & Build UK and Founder, Women in Construction), Rashida Rajkotwalla (Director, DWIP Consultants & NAWIC Midlands Co-Chair Building), Siu Mun Li (Director, Constructing Siu-lutions)
Martin Hurn, UKCW Birmingham Editorial Director, said: “As we embrace The Construction Reset, it’s important that we build an industry where everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities available to them to shape its future. We’re incredibly proud to offer a platform for the incredible voices already making a real impact in the sector and through our dedicated programme of panel discussions and networking opportunities, we hope to inspire the industry’s next role models and encourage greater diversity at every level.”
Sponsored by Wyre, Barbour ABI, HotelPlanner, Zutec, Build Warranty and SolarEdge, the three-day show will feature over 200 leading brands; 200 speakers and over 150 hours of CPD accredited seminars across four stages, alongside a series of built-for-purpose sections. Architect, TV presenter and UKCW ambassador, George Clarke will officially open the show and also host discussions on the Construction Reset Stage on Day One (September 29th).
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