Today, Acorn is incredibly proud to be supporting International Women’s Day.
The United Nations began marking the global event back in 1977 and the day is now recognised as the focal point in the movement for women’s rights.
This year means a lot to our diverse team at Acorn because the theme for 2022 is #BreakTheBias and it falls within the nationally recognised Women In Construction Week.
The latest research from the Women In Construction Summit revealed that only 11% of jobs in the construction industry are held by women and it is fair to say that the asbestos industry is also heavily dominated by men.
At Acorn we are very proud to have fantastic female employees working in a variety of roles at our offices across the UK.
In our last blog we were thrilled to share with you a couple of stories from two of our brilliant female asbestos analysts and surveyors.
We’ve since caught up with two more of our pioneering female employees – Jodie Albone who is an asbestos consultant and Leah Valente who works for us in the multi-faceted role of bulk analyst, administrator and asbestos analyst.
Jodie and Leah were both keen to contribute to our International Women’s Day blogs because they hope their experiences will encourage more women to think about entering the asbestos industry and help to #BreakTheBias that our industry is for men only.
Leah’s story – #BreakTheBias
It feels great to be a woman in the construction industry and to be helping to #BreakTheBias that exists around women and construction.
I’m living proof that women can make a successful career for themselves working in the asbestos industry.
My career with Acorn began when I was hired as a business administration apprentice.
I was thrilled to then get the opportunity to take up a role in Acorn’s laboratory and went on to pass their laboratory qualification as well as completing my apprenticeship with a distinction.
After I had been fully qualified for a while, I put myself forward to work on site as an asbestos analyst. Site work wasn’t something I had experienced before but I love it and I’ve never looked back.
It’s fair to say the majority of women don’t consider careers in the asbestos industry as an option for them but I’d urge them to do so.
As a young woman I’ve gone after what I wanted in life and didn’t allow myself to be intimidated by something like gender bias.
I’m so glad that I did and that I work for such a supportive organisation.
Jodie’s story – #BreakTheBias
I joined the industry four years ago after leaving a career in the military.
To begin with I had very little knowledge about the asbestos industry but I quickly realised that I was a minority within the workforce.
I have always enjoyed working within the industry as I have mainly done jobs that are male dominated – I see it more as a challenge than a deterrent.
I would encourage more women to get involved in the industry and not to be put off by gender bias.
There are lots of opportunities within the asbestos industry for women to achieve a successful career.
How can more women #BreakTheBias?
At Acorn we are proud to be helping women to #BreakTheBias.
We love to welcome dedicated, hardworking newcomers into our industry and provide them with fantastic benefits and excellent training opportunities to enable them to advance their careers.
As a result, we have an amazing set of women working for Acorn in a variety of scientific and corporate roles.
Anyone who is interested in pursuing a career with Acorn should forward their CV to info@acorn-as.com for opportunities around the North of England or south@acornasbestos.co.uk for opportunities in the Midlands or the South.
Alternatively, to have an informal chat with our team contact 01924 443552 to discuss opportunities in the North or 01604 648928 for opportunities in the Midlands or the South.
Acorn is a professional asbestos consultancy helping organisations deal with asbestos compliance using asbestos surveys, asbestos air testing, and asbestos removal management. Please call one of the team, or use the online form to obtain your free quotation. If you would like further information or advice on asbestos and asbestos training, contact the team on 0844 800 0895 or Contact Us
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