"Challenging Perceptions" @ Preston Manor High School
Women in Property "Challenging Perceptions" at Preston
Manor High School in Wembley, July 2011
Preston Manor High School is a co-educational community school
in Wembley. Women in Property were invited to contribute to a
half day careers event for about 100 Year 8 (12 -13 years old)
female students called "Challenging Perceptions".
Along with 15 other professional women who did jobs normally
associated with men, Marcia Gillings attended on behalf of Women in
Property. Marcia is a Chartered Building Surveyor and there
were fire-fighters, architects, an environmental health consultant,
an economist and an engineer amongst the speakers.
The task was to work with a group of girls around a table to get
them to develop a good understanding of the different roles through
talking to them, providing props and visuals and helping them to
design a poster promoting the role.
Marcia brought along plans and photographs of schemes that she
is currently working on and answered the following questions the
girls had prepared:
What made you go into your line of work?
Who and what influenced your choices?
Have you had any important role models?
What path have you followed to arrive where you are now?
What other jobs have you done?
What education and training have you had?
What obstacles have you overcome?
Have you faced any discrimination?
What do you like most about your work?
Are there any aspects of your work you feel are
disadvantages?
Would you recommend your field of work?
The girls were very interested in Marcia's account of her
experiences in getting dirty on building sites and combining work
and family life. Feedback from Preston Manor is that
the girls thoroughly enjoyed the event. So it looks like
Women in Property will have some new members in 6-7 years
time.
Marcia Gillings
London Borough of Hillingdon
South East Branch Committee member