Encouraging women into the industry
Hanson production manager Lauren Kinch calls for more women to get involved in the industry
IN what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, Hanson say they are fortunate to have 540 talented women working in a wide range of roles across their business, from production workers and drivers through to engineers and managers, each one contributing to the success of the company.
One of these women is 27-year-old Lauren Kinch, who joined Hanson just two years ago as an asphalt plant operator at the company’s Craig yr Hesg site, in South Wales.
‘Some were a bit apprehensive about a woman starting here,’ said Ms Kinch (pictured), who was encouraged to apply for the role by her brother, area production supervisor Dan. ‘But after the first few weeks of seeing me out shovelling in the rain and cleaning the plant, they realized I was here to work.’
Despite having no previous industry experience, Ms Kinch’s hard work and can-do attitude gained the respect of her male co-workers and she quickly progressed through the ranks to become a production manager for Hanson’s Hinkley Point C project team.
‘My current role is really exciting and combines large-scale aggregate supply, concrete production and the opportunity to work on a major project to construct the first in a new generation of nuclear power stations in the UK,’ said Ms Kinch, who has also held roles as plant supervisor and district operations manager for asphalt.
‘It takes a certain type of person to work here, but I’ve really enjoyed every aspect of my career so far and hope to keep moving and learning. There are plenty of opportunities to progress and it would be great to see more women, like myself, who are willing to break the mould and get involved in the industry.’
As part of their commitment towards a diverse, engaged and motivated team, Hanson are now a corporate member of Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) – a national campaign that aims to increase the participation, inclusion and success of women in science, technology and engineering.
HR director Clare Mayo said: ‘We advocate equal opportunities for all of our employees and will be working closely with WISE to ensure that women in industries like ours, where they are in the minority, have the same opportunities to progress their careers as their male colleagues.
‘We are excited to see our talent pool expanding each year as more skilled women, like Lauren, join us and we value the achievements they bring to the company.’
