Resilience, persistence and attitude were the main themes at the second annual Women Installers Together (WIT) conference, an event designed to highlight the contributions of women to the industry. Organised by Stopcocks Women Plumbers and supported by some big names in plumbing and construction, the conference held in London on 4th July attracted over 100 women in the trade, from seasoned operatives to those aspiring to join their ranks.
Setting the tone was keynote speaker Anna Hemmings, Britain’s most successful female kayaker, two-time Olympian and six-time World Champion. Speaking about her own road to success, she encouraged the women installers to be persistent in achieving their career goals in a male-dominated field.
Anna Hemmings said:
How we evaluate a challenge influences how successful we are going to be. The way we explain things to ourselves massively determines our levels confidence, resilience and happiness. You can alter your mode of thinking so that it helps you rather than hinders you. Choose your attitude.”
Looking specifically at plumbing, where women constitute less than 1% of the industry, Anna encouraged conference-goers to focus on the things they can control, and not on those that are out of their hands:
The next time you encounter negativity about being women in this industry, you might remind yourself that 30% of homeowners would prefer to have a woman working in their home. That’s because you are fabulous at what you do.”
Also addressing these issues was Hattie Hasan, founder of Stopcocks Women Plumbers. Her focus was on the concept of destiny and why women should resolve to create their own.
Hattie Hasan said:
Keep your eyes on the prize, because it’s the awareness of your goal that gets you up in the morning and keeps you going strong when you may want to throw the towel in.
“I love the fact I’m a plumber and have evolved into a business owner.
“So don’t let people defeat you with a ‘just who do you think you are?’ attitude. You can’t change their attitude, but you can control your reaction.”
To find out more about Stopcocks, the plumbing company behind the WIT conference, visit: http://stopcocks.uk
Some big names in plumbing, heating and construction sponsored the increasingly popular WIT conference:
Anna Hemmings gave the keynote speech:
Lauren Winter, aka @Loz_Winter on Twitter, speaking about her start in plumbing (with Hattie Hasan, left):
