'I want to empower more women to become plasterers'

A plasterer who has been working in the industry for 20 years hopes to inspire the next generation of women to pick up the tools by sharing her own journey.

Steph Leese, known as the Pink Plasterer, set up her plastering company on Merseyside after being made redundant from a job in software engineering.

According to home improvement company Kingfisher, just 2% of the UK's tradespeople are women - and Leese is determined to change that.

"I love the feeling of hard work, getting dirty and you can see the fruits of your labour, you see the difference when you plaster somewhere," she said.

The 50-year-old has opened up about what it is really like to work in the industry for her podcast Tradeswomen Together with Hattie Hassan MBE, which has recently been nominated for an Audio and Radio Industry Award (Arias).

"I just love getting out and about, meeting people, working under my own steam and being my own boss, it's just lovely," she said.

"It's important to be as vocal as we can, as females, to show that we are here so that other girls feel the confidence in being able to choose that as a career going forward and knowing that there are girls who have done it before and it is possible," she said.

She added that a lot had changed in the industry over the past 20 years - thankfully for the better.

"The majority of men that you meet on site now are all too happy to have women on site - it doesn't bother them at all," said Leese, from West Derby.

"You still do get those who are very misogynistic but we just exemplify ourselves by doing our job, doing it well, doing it correctly, and then there's no comeback there."

Ten months ago, Leese and Hassan started the podcast on Fix Radio to discuss issues relating to women in the building trade.

"It's going down a storm," she said.

"It's not only for women, although it is aimed at women to help them help build their business or to break into the trades.

"But it's also for fellas who like to listen to it and know exactly what's going on for the females that they work alongside on site."

Now 22 episodes in, the podcast has been shortlisted for best new presenter alongside the likes of fashion expert Gok Wan and singer Beth Ditto.

"The Arias are like the Oscars of the radio world and it's just phenomenal, especially for a podcast that's been going 10 months," she said.

"It's a pinch me moment."

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