Girl Power
The construction sector still faces one of the largest staff shortages of all sectors. Unfortunately, says Kimberley, but fortunately, women are becoming less rare in their world. She has dreamed of construction since childhood and now paints. “Men seem to want to prove themselves more when a woman is on site.”
As a little girl, Kimberley helped her dad build a playhouse in the garden, and since then she dreamed of a job in the sector. Yet it took until this summer for her to dare to take the step. “That fear was unnecessary. It’s even more fun to work with men.”
“My father was first a carpenter, later a bricklayer, and now a handyman. I always looked up to him and also wanted to work with my hands,” says Kimberley. “But I had to search for quite a long time until I found a job in construction, even though there are so many vacancies. The problem is that almost everywhere you have to work through a temporary employment agency. I wasn’t keen on that, because I had a permanent contract and wanted security. Perhaps that holds part of the solution to address the staff shortage? Group Jansen was the first company that met my requirements in that regard.”
“They also didn’t mind that I had no experience. The most important thing for them was that I showed enthusiasm and didn’t see this job as something temporary, but for the long term. I get the chance to patiently learn the trade and am well supported by my colleagues. They all welcomed me warmly and never looked down on me because I’m a woman. That fear was precisely the reason why I hesitated for years to take the step into construction.”
Helpful Men
“After my internship, I was allowed to stay at the Jack & Jones clothing store, and then I was registered with a cleaning company for four and a half years. If I compare the atmosphere there with now, I have to admit that I prefer working with men. They are quicker to say it like it is, and there’s hardly any gossip. They are also helpful and give me tips to do things better.”
“We all want to deliver beautiful work together in the end. That’s the nice thing about a job in the finishing phase of construction: everyone sees the result of what you do. That makes it even more important to have an eye for detail, and I love that. Besides painting, I also have to plaster and lay vinyl floors. In the beginning, it was difficult to be on my knees and use the heavy sanding machine to smooth the walls, but that was just a matter of training the right muscle groups. I’m very glad I took the leap into construction. I’m really happy and think I’ve found the best job in the sector.”