women in project management

Women in Project Management for #IWD2022

International Women’s Day is a global celebration, created to uphold the achievements of women and to advance the worldwide campaign to achieve true gender equality. This year’s theme for the day is #BreakTheBias. At Training Bytesize, it has always been in our ethos to be an inclusive company for women in project management. In celebration for this day, we wanted to offer an insight into some of the thoughts from our team. #IWD2022.

As a family business we encourage feedback and input from all of our staff and were intrigued to hear their thoughts on everything from barriers that still remain for women within the sector to positive changes that have been seen in the space over the past 5 years.

Victoria Graham – Managing Director

Victoria Graham Training Bytesize Team

Victoria is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Training Bytesize. She has a wealth of knowledge in both project management and IT service management and has been an integral part of building Training Bytesize from the ground up into one of the leading international providers of training that it is today.

Hi Victoria, tell us a bit about your role at Training Bytesize

In 2012 my family and I decided to set Training Bytesize up as we knew there was a gap in the market for high quality, affordable Project Management Training backed up with exceptional customer service. As Managing Director, I strive to keep pushing the business forward, helping generate jobs while provide accessible training for people who wish to achieve certification.

At Training Bytesize what does an average day look like for you?

I would say that not one day is the same! As Managing Director, I’m used to allocating my time and effort to different projects and at short notice. I enjoy onboarding new clients and looking after those that have remained loyal to us over so many years.

Daily there is always an element of people management, new business quotes, existing customer queries, financial planning, researching better ways to do things and managing multiple in-house projects.

Why do you think International Women’s Day is such a powerful movement?

When women get together, amazing things happen. This day is a reminder of this and is essential to raising awareness that discrimination and stereotypes still exist. We should all be a part of a gender equal world where this doesn’t exist anymore.

What barriers do you believe exist for women in project management today?

We know from the APM’s Salary and Market Trends Survey 2021 that the average salary for men remains unchanged at £52,500, while the average salary for women is £42,500. But women are still over-represented in roles and arrangements where lower salaries are the norm: they account for four out of five project administrators (79 per cent), while representing 57 per cent of part-time workers. By contrast only 22 per cent of consultants, who enjoy higher average salaries, are women.

While there are more women entering the profession (they make up around 37% of the project professionals), the continuing gender disparity can still make project management look and feel like a “boys’ club” where women – perceived to be lacking credibility – are undervalued and dismissed more easily by senior management. We have made some great strides as more women enter the profession, but there is clearly still some way to go before the profession is truly representative of our society.

What positive changes in the project management space have you seen over the past five years that have sought to empower women?

More women have been signing up for training courses year on year which has been a positive change. We’re also looking forward to exhibiting at the WiPM (Women in Project Management) show with the APM this year. This is always a great opportunity to network with ambitious female leaders in Project Management who are paving the way for a new generation of inspirational women.

I mentioned the salary gap earlier – what we have seen over the past few years is that the gap is now closing and has returned to a pre-pandemic level. While there is some way to go, women make up a growing proportion of those earning between £50,000 and £69,999, and as more women enter the profession, we expect this proportion to increase even further.

Heather Kinch – Finance Director

Heather Kinch Training Bytesize TeamAlong with Victoria, Heather co-founded Training Bytesize in 2012. The company’s continued growth is a testament to her financial expertise, and her willingness to put the customer at the forefront of everything that we do.

Hi Heather, tell us a bit about your role at Training Bytesize

Since the launch of the company, I have been the Finance Director for over 14 years, overseeing all the finance operations for our operations in both the UK and Australia.

At Training Bytesize what does an average day look like for you?

Is there such a thing?! My day usually starts really early (around 6 am), which enables me to catch up with our Australian business from the UK! After that, I continue with our accounting and banking duties, analysing how we are performing as a company, and what we can do to continue growing as a business.

Why do you think International Women’s Day is such a powerful movement?

Because International Women’s Day promotes equality and equal opportunities worldwide so that we can achieve the best version of ourselves.

When I was growing up, women were treated like second class citizens within their jobs. However, being from a family of 4 boys and 4 girls, and our parents encouraged equality and for us all to work hard, so we could achieve whatever we wanted.

How has Training Bytesize as an organisation supported and championed women within the company?

Regardless of your gender, Training Bytesize will give our students equal support. Our company believes in equality and although we are a family business, we consist of four directors – an equal split of two men and two women.

Amelia Millard – Head of Customer Engagement

Amelia Millard Training ByteSize TeamAmelia is our dedicated Head of Customer Engagement. She leads our team, who are specialists in identifying the ideal training solution for each client that approaches us, to ensure that they get the most from their investment in training.

Hi Amelia, tell us a bit about your role at Training Bytesize

As Head of Customer Engagement, I lead a highly experienced and successful team assisting both individual and corporate project management training needs and requirements for our clients.

At Training Bytesize what does an average day look like for you?

One of the most exciting aspects of my role is one day is never the same. I enjoy dealing with a wide range of corporate and consumer customers all with different backgrounds, abilities and ambitions. The most rewarding element of my role is seeing a client grow, having been a part of their career journey.

What can organisations do to champion women entering and progressing within project management?

The pandemic has changed the way most of us approach life. However, a positive gain from this period is that many women re-evaluated their lives and self-worth, realising more than ever than you can both have a family AND a successful career.

Flexibility is key for an organisation to ensure a healthy and happy work life balance, which will encourage many more women to achieve their dreams and benefit an organisation.

Running a house, and ensuring one’s children are where they need to be with the relevant kits at the right clubs on the right days (also key, and often wrong in my life!) is project management at its best, and that’s before even entering the workplace for the real job to take place!

What advice would you have for women that are looking to get into the project management?

Believe in yourself and set your sights on the goal you would like to achieve! I always encourage our customers to first take stock of previous career experience, and utilise our skills as a long-standing training provider for advice on the best routes to certifications to achieve their desired career path.

At Training Bytesize, we’re always aiming to stay on the forefront of diversity and inclusion. If you’d like to hear more about what we are doing for women in project management, or if you are looking to further your career with a dedicated training course, you can contact us via the website, or on +44 (0)1270 626330 in the UK or +61 (02)8072 0653 in Australia.

 

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