1968

Barbara Wells becomes the first female member of the CIOB, on 6th December

1994

The CIOB's Women in Building group is founded. It meets bi-annually for female members to discuss their concerns.

1996

May: Michael Romans, president of the CIOB, threatens to resign after an 87-year-old member, Kenneth Foster, says the Institute should not "go chasing after girls". It is revealed that only 2.5% of CIOB's membership is female.

August: "Tomorrow's Team: Constructing Equality" published. It calls for equal pay, and women-only craft training schemes. Findings say women make up 10% of the construction workforce, making it the most male-dominated of the major industrial groups.

1997

July: The Considerate Constructors Scheme is launched. It aims to reduce "lewdness, untidy sites and excessive noise". Three complaints about offensive behaviour towards women are received from the 220 sites taking part.

August: Beverley Hughes, the 48-year-old Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston, is appointed junior minister at the DETR, with responsibility for construction, planning, regeneration, the regions, local government, and environmental and transport issues.

November: A survey of contractors reveals that female managers in construction are paid 33% less than their male counterparts. It also found that women make up just 3% of the managerial workforce in construction, the same percentage as in 1995.

1998

June: The CIC equal opportunities taskforce is launched. It is chaired by Helen Stone, an independent consultant in engineering and management.

1999

August: The Construction Industry Training Board fails to fill a quarter of its female craft scholarships, and has to postpone the course until November.

2000

January: Helen Stone is awarded OBE in the New Year's honours list, for promoting equal opportunities in the construction industry.