Launched by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) in the UK, International Women in Engineering Day is a global initiative to celebrate the work and achievements of women in STEM industries. This year’s theme is “enhanced by engineering,” focusing in on the women around the world that are doing work to support lives and livelihoods every day.

As a company which is at the forefront of innovation, we are excited to celebrate the achievements of the women in our industry. We want to raise awareness for the importance of having women be a part of our facility management solutions and how they have contributed to the achievements of Artic.

Women in Facility Management:

According to the Women in Facilities Management group, men outnumber women in leadership roles nine to one.

Women are at the forefront of innovation and whilst there has been an increase in female representation across the building services industry, according to the International Women in Engineering website, in the UK, only 16.5% of engineers are women. Engineering is at the root of our service and this year we would like to champion the women that hold leadership within our male-dominated community.

At Artic Building Services we aim to continue building the representation of women within facility management. To do this we support the growth and development of women that are a part of our team, as well as outside in our local community. Artic is known for its STEM events and to increase diversity within the industry we have held events at all-girls schools with the hopes of encouraging girls who are interested in a career in engineering. At these events we aim to highlight the need and space for women within the industry.

Meet the Women at Artic:

As a company, our engineers and office staff directly impact the livelihoods of our clients and the public. We have contracts with a variety of NHS hospitals and Universities across London where it is important the M&E services to be running to optimal efficiency. Without the women that make up our team we wouldn’t be able to ensure the high quality of service we deliver. With Artic’s continued increase in growth we strive to make sure our gender employment ratios are balanced and representative of what the industry should look like. As part of International Women in Engineering Day, we would like to spotlight some of our champions:

Charlotte O’Keeffe – Senior Contract Manger

Since starting, Charlotte has been empowered through training and support to reach her established role of senior contract manager. With her industry expertise, Charlotte continues to be a valued member of the team and having progressed from the role of a junior administrator, Charlotte is an indispensable team member who continues to defy expectations and break the glass ceiling of women in facility management.

Caitlyn Gold – Engineer Apprentice

Previously working in head office as a contract support administrator, as part of our Service and Maintenance department, Caitlyn Gold boldly pivoted her career path to develop on the practical side of facility management with our engineering experts. Caitlyn was supported in her exciting career path change by Artic, facilitating the opportunity to work on one of our major healthcare sites, Kings College Hospital, and begin her AC apprenticeship.

Nicola Bilewicz – Projects H&S Manager

Nicola Bilewicz began as a junior administrator and has progressed within our Projects department to be a leader in managing the Health & Safety of all our projects. Nicola’s development was supported by encouraging her to undertake the relevant training she needed for her role and proudly facilitated Nicola achieving her NEBOSH in Construction and NVQ Level 6 in Occupational Health and Safety. Nicola is a heavily valued member of the team and continues to make a difference in ensuring the health and safety of all our Project department’s operations.

These are just a few of the women that empower our services and by showcasing our champions we hope to boost women’s representation within the engineering community.

Diversify Facility Management with Artic:

We are immensely proud of the women in our team and all they have done to help us succeed. Being a part of the engineering community, we are committed to breaking the barriers in place and continuing to diversify our teams to become even more inclusive of all communities, unlocking the pools of talent that come with them.

Keep an eye on what Artic Building Services is doing to diversify the industry on our News page and if you would like to see the successful works the women at Artic have made happen, have a look at our case studies.

If you are looking for a diverse facility management company to fulfil your building maintenance in London and surrounding home counties, get in touch with us here.