As of Q1 2016, there were 265,000 women working in construction, 16 per cent lower than the 315,000 in construction in Q1 2006. In contrast, the number of men working in construction is only 4.2 per cent lower over the same period.

Comparing Q1 2006 with Q1 2016, the number of directly employed men in construction has dropped by 14.3 per cent, while the number of directly employed women has fallen by 22.6 per cent.

However, labour force statistics have recently shown signs of recovering: the number of women in construction was 18 per cent higher in Q1 2016 than the recessionary low point of 224,000 recorded in Q3 2011.

Nevertheless, women only made up 11.7 per cent of the total workforce as of Q1 2016 – down from 13.2 per cent 10 years ago.