The week is dedicated to celebrating and promoting the roles and vital contributions of women in the construction industry. Together, we break barriers and build a future of equality.
Our Values and Women in Construction Week
At One Stop Hire, one of our core values “People Matter” guides us in maintaining equality and diversity. We ensure fair treatment and equal progression opportunities for all, fostering a dynamic, inclusive workplace where diverse talents thrive. Our commitment is implemented into our daily practices, creating a space where everyone contributes to our collective success.
The History & Importance
The history of the week is linked with that of the National Association of Women in Construction. It was first called Women in Construction of Fort Worth, founded in 1953 by 16 women working in the construction industry. It was created in order to support the few women working in construction at the time.
During this important week, support has increased awareness of the industry’s recent strides in addressing diversity and equality issues. The Industry, in particular, stands out as a pioneer in narrowing the pay gap between men and women, setting a benchmark for equality standards across all sectors.
Our People
Some of our female colleagues were asked to answer some questions that outline their success and proud moments working within the company and asked to give advice for future generations.
Danni Hitchen – Director & Co-Founder
Why are you proud to work within the construction industry?
“I started working in my fathers crane hire business when I left school at 16. I started in an accounts role & finished my time as marketing manager. We worked on many prestigious jobs all over the UK & seeing our cranes on the news & in the media was so exciting. Being part of the building of key infrastructure projects that I still see & visit today is a great source of pride & telling my children about it is really cool.”
What advice would you give to women looking to get involved within the industry?
“Tool Hire & the Equipment Rental industry is very exciting & has many opportunities for women. Working in the trade counter & depot environment is challenging & requires real organisational skills that I believe women have in abundance & we find our female hire managers are always in the top tier of achievers.”
“Our sales team has a number of high achieving women whose commercial acumen is fantastic & two in particular have transitioned over from other sectors & now really enjoy the construction sector challenge. The old days of women simply being stuck in the accounts dept is long gone & our next challenge is to bring young female learners into our technical academy to become engineers who diagnose, repair & test our huge range of equipment product lines so come on girls & give it a go!!”
Sandy Farnworth – Account Manager
How did you get into Tool Hire Industry?
“My journey to tool hire was the many years of running my own business in the construction industry which give me the knowledge to take a job at One Stop Hire.”
What do you like about the Industry and your role?
“I enjoy working within tool hire industry due to the diversity of the job. No two days are ever the same. More importantly for me is working for company that cares about you, this is key to my success here at One Stop Hire.”
What advice would you give to women who are considering a career in the Construction/Tool Hire Industry?
“The advice I would give to anyone is anything is possible.”
Find resources For Women in Construction Week here: