Women in Nuclear Spotlight Article: Jade Haskins, Turner & Townsend

Jade Haskins is an Associate Director in Energy and Natural Resources at Turner & Townsend. She has been with the company for four years, starting as a Cost Manager in 2021.

Since joining Turner & Townsend, Jade has had the opportunity to gain experience in multiple sectors, including Roads, Nuclear decommissioning, Nuclear New Build, Mining, and Water, before joining a team working with transmission and distribution.

Now, with over a decade of experience in the sector, she believes we are already seeing the positive impact of industry efforts to attract more women into the field.

“It’s definitely encouraging to less often find myself the only woman in the room. However, with women currently making up 24.9% of the UK nuclear workforce and an industry goal to reach 40% by 2030, there’s still much work to be done, both in recruiting and retaining female talent into the sector,” she says.

“At Turner & Townsend, we’re committed to supporting our women at every stage of their professional journey, helping them to thrive and achieve their full professional potential.”

Like many young women in what is often perceived as traditionally male-dominated industries, Jade built her network and confidence by developing strong connections and enhancing her leadership skills. For her and her peers, organisations like WiN provide invaluable opportunities to share experiences.

Her involvement with The Chairman’s Group at Turner & Townsend, which helps grow a global network of contacts, interact with senior colleagues, and experience the challenges of running a global business, along with the guidance of a great mentor, empowered her to develop a robust support system.

Jade advises young women considering a career in the nuclear industry to believe in themselves, dare to speak up, and never hesitate to ask questions.

“Remember, you belong in the room just as much as anyone else. Find a mentor, embrace advice and feedback, and be patient with the industry – it will pay off,” she says.

What actions have been taken by Turner & Townsend?
As part of our commitment to diversity, we have implemented a range of D&I initiatives aimed at fostering a more inclusive workplace. There are female role modelling and recruitment strategies designed to attract diverse talent. From an HR perspective, the inclusive interview training aligns the interview process with our core values and behaviours, such as using mixed interview panels.

For early careers, there is a real push to achieve gender targets as close to 50/50 as possible, to build a diverse pipeline of candidates. For experienced professionals, there is a career returners programme that supports individuals returning to work after a break. There are also in-house training courses and mentorship schemes to help build allyship and challenge perceptions through one-on-one discussions. Additionally, our in-house line manager training programme enhances line manager capability, removes barriers to progression, and advocates for female talent.

 

What has been the impact of this work?
Our latest Gender Pay Gap report is really encouraging. We’ve seen a positive shift in our Diversity & Inclusion efforts, with a 1.4% increase in women in the upper pay quartile. It’s also great to see the lower quartile moving closer to pay parity. Overall, there’s more female representation in the upper quartiles, which really highlights the effectiveness of the initiatives that Turner & Townsend has put in place.

 

What challenges have been encountered?
While the challenges we’ve encountered are industry-wide, we’re all working hard to ensure that young women see our field as a viable and welcoming professional option. It’s important that they know they are both wanted and needed here. Numerous studies show that a more diverse workforce is also a more creative one. We are committed to ensuring that young women starting their careers, as well as senior professionals looking to advance, feel welcome in this space.

How were these overcome?
To attract a diverse talent pool, we are actively showcasing the incredible women at all levels of our organisation, providing visible role models for those considering a career in our sector. Within Turner & Townsend itself, we continuously promote our D&I initiatives, making sure that everyone has a voice and is seen. We foster an inclusive culture, both within project teams and as a wider organisation, and together we are making strides towards greater gender equality in the workplace.

What’s next for Turner & Townsend?
As a company, we have developed a comprehensive strategy to attract diverse and inclusive talent while nurturing the growth of our current employees. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in every aspect of our operations, and we continuously strive to create an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered.

The insights from our annual Gender Pay Gap report are instrumental in shaping our future strategies. They provide us with a clearer understanding of where we stand and highlight areas for improvement. By leveraging this data, we refine our approach and implement targeted initiatives to further close the gap and promote equality.