WIT 2023 the biggest and best yet!

We know we keep saying this, but every year WIT gets better.

Asked recently what we are most proud of, we said ‘seeing the faces of the tradeswomen meeting each other – whether for the first time, or as mates they haven’t seen since last year, and feeling the really great atmosphere in the room’.

THAT is what makes it worth while.

When we remember how few tradeswomen around UK have met another tradeswoman until they come along to a WIT, even now, even in 2023 – this is a major achievement.

Now, thanks to our fantastic supporters, tradeswomen can meet one another; this year there were almost 200 of them in the room together.

No one in the construction and maintenance industries except us is doing this, and we’d really like to thank our fantastic supporters for enabling us to make this happen. This year, for the first time, as well as plumbers and heating engineers, we’re delighted to welcome women electricians, painters and decorators, and plasterers along with our first sponsors from the electrical industry.

Next year we hope to have more electrical sponsors, and sponsors from a wider range of trades, encouraging more women – and providing more fantastic raffle prizes for everyone.

Hattie was asked to tell her story, from being a survivor of abuse to receiving the honour of an MBE, to being a business and thought leader and an inspiration to all women taking on non-traditional roles. To our surprise, many women in the room hadn’t heard this story before.

Tradeswomen up and down UK, from Aberdeen to Cornwall are making connections and supporting each other thanks to WIT. Next year promises to be even better.

What is WIT all about?

Take a look at some of last years highlights in this short video.

Women travelled from as far as Scotland and South Cornwall to the venue in Holloway, London to meet other tradeswomen, employed, self-employed and trainees.

With women in skilled trades still only around 1% of all tradespeople, this event is the only opportunity for many to meet others who share their unique experiences.

Almost a quarter of all women (22% according to a recent survey) would be interested in a career in skilled trades, but for a variety of reasons this is not translating into numbers in the industry, and attrition is often high.

Issues identified by the tradeswomen as significant in the round table discussions, were equality, pay inequality, cost of training, ‘banter’, lack of fit for purpose women’s workwear, and lack of suitable provision for women onsite (eg: toilets, sani-bins etc) with equality being by far the most important.

“This was our first full event since lockdown and to be in a room together, and feel the energy in the room, it was just great.   We set ourselves very high goals with these events and this time we really feel we’ve achieved them. We can build on this momentum now, thanks to the fantastic support of our sponsors and allies” Hattie Hasan MBE: Stopcocks Women Plumbers, Women Installers Together and Register of Tradeswomen CIC Founder.

Throughout the event the mood was extremely positive, from the talk by Hattie Hasan MBE on recognition of Imposter Syndrome as something we all experience, how it manifests and ways to manage it, to inspiration from Mandy Hickson, one of the first women fighter pilots to fly a fast jet in combat, who shared leadership lessons she learned from that and the stories shared from attendees, one of whom talked about how she gained so much from attending the event it had helped her decide to stay in the industry!

Delegates and sponsors old and new have all been invited to continue feeding back to the organisers.

Finally was the ever popular raffle, with loads of fantastic prizes donated by partners, sponsors and supporters.

Monument Tools donated 22mm and 15mm pipe benders, a sweat box and an autocut, Williams – Trade Only donated a Velocity Pro rucksac, Adey gave a water testing kit, Mark Vitow donated a Flush Daddy, a pipe freezing kit and a Glo-Force magnetic light, Fernox gave a water testing kit, LCL Awards donated several courses at training centres they accredit and JTL gave a training course.

Supporters Altecnic gave two goody bags, Kibosh, a pipe freezing kit, Velocity Pro-Gear donated a rucksack and quote kit, Knipex donated a Little Helper kit, swan necks and snippers, Big Wipes gave lots of packs of big wipes, PHC Parts donated a mini kit of Wera tools and Ct1 donated a huge hamper.

The event finished with the usual photo of participants and for many, a visit to the pub for new and old friends.

Here are some highlights from the 2019 event