Be Part of the Change podcast episode 9 – celebrating International Women’s Day
Posted on: 11 March, 2025
The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.
‘Be Part of the Change’ aims to celebrate the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.
It’s also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.
In the ninth episode of our Be Part of the Change podcast, Ummi Mahinoor, an apprentice and Student Officer at UCEM, is joined by Kirsty McKenna MRICS, Partner at Workman LLP. Together they mark International Women’s Day (March 8) by discussing their experiences and the challenges women face in the built environment.
The topics discussed in this episode include
- What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
- As a partner of a fast-growing company and industry, what is a significant achievement in your career that you are most proud of?
- Are there any challenges that you feel women face in the industry? And how do you think we can overcome this?
- What advice would you give to women aspiring to enter the field of real estate?
Full transcript
[00:00] Aysha: Hello and welcome to the Be Part of the Change podcast. This is UCEM’s new series that will explore the challenges and success stories faced by those from underrepresented backgrounds in the built environment. This episode is being recorded as part of International Women’s Day in collaboration with UCEM’s Female Networking Group. [00:24] Ummi: Hello and welcome to this special episode of Be Part of the Change podcast celebrating International Women’s Day. I’m Ummi, a student officer for women at UCEM and I support UCEM’s female networking group. Joining me today is Kirsty McKenna, a partner at Workman. How are you, Kirsty? [00:42] Kirsty: I’m okay. How are you? [00:43] Ummi: I’m good, thank you for asking. Do you want to introduce yourself, Kirsty? [00:47] Kirsty: Yeah, of course. So, as you have mentioned, my name is Kirsty. I have been a partner at Workman for three years. I’ve been at Workman itself for five years. I. I’m a partner in the property management team. Before that I worked at cbre and before that I worked at Threatens. And I’m originally from Ireland, moved over 11 years ago. My current role at work win, I am the fund lead for several clients, including Legal and General blackrock and a couple of other clients, small investment clients, and I run a team of 14 people. [01:20] Ummi: Perfect. So we’ll just get straight into the questions. So the first question is, what does International Women’s Day mean for you? [01:29] Kirsty: International Women’s Day is a reminder of how far we have all come, but I also think it’s a great reminder how much we still need to do to ensure women, especially young women from all backgrounds, have equal opportunities. It’s a day to celebrate progress, inspire change, but also to continue pushing for a more inclusive industry. [01:48] Ummi: Perfect. With this question in mind, what does being a woman mean to you? [01:53] Kirsty: I think being a woman means to be resilient, to have strength, but to show while also having compassion, but being able to do that and still have the ability to uplift others. I think it’s also about embracing challenges and creating space for the next generation to succeed in industries like real estate and also include and strive for diversity. Because as we all know, that creates a more inclusive and a positive environment for our clients and ultimately gives better results as well. [02:23] Ummi: As a partner of a fast growing company and industry, what is a significant achievement in your career that you are most proud of? [02:30] Kirsty: I would say one of my proudest achievements is probably mentoring young professionals and seeing them grow into confident leaders. I’m very proud of the people that I have worked with and people I work with today and my team creating opportunities for others, especially women, and helping them to shape a more diverse and inclusive workplace. Something I’m really proud of. I just think it’s so important to support those around you. I’m also proud that I’ve managed to progress in my career while staying true to my own belief and who I am as a person. Kind of demonstrating that as a woman, you can still be yourself and you don’t need to conform to particular kind of beliefs in the industry. [03:10] Ummi: Are there any holdbacks or challenges that you feel women face in the industry? And how do you think we can overcome this? [03:18] Kirsty: I think there’s a couple. I mean, there’s probably more than a couple, but there’s a few I think that are really stand out for me. Unconscious bias, I think, is huge across the board, especially at senior leadership level. Limited representation at senior level in leadership roles, not only in property, but across all industries. And also we as women tend to have fewer networking opportunities. In terms of overcoming this, I think unconscious bias is definitely through mentoring and having allies, also having people who can advocate for you, and also fostering a culture where diverse perspectives are valued and encouraged. I think it’s really important that everyone in the industry is focused on change and not just women. Really important that the men that we work with become our allies as well. [04:04] Ummi: Thank you. Last question. What advice would you give to women aspiring to enter the field of real estate? [04:11] Kirsty: I would say be confident, build your network. And seeking out a mentor is really important. It doesn’t need to be on a professional or a formal mentoring scheme. It could just be someone that you see that you kind of work with, or that it could be a family member. But it’s really important to kind of seek feedback and guidance all the time. I think this industry isn’t evolving and there’s always space for ambitious women out there to thrive. Your perspective is valuable. And always remember that just because you might not have a lot of experience doesn’t mean that you don’t have something that people want to say. Especially now with Millennials and Gen Z. Like, employers definitely need to know what your thoughts are to be able to progress with business. I think my other feedback would probably just be, always say yes, always put your hand up, get involved. It’s really important to show that you’re keen, but also it’s invaluable lessons for a woman or anybody in real estate. [05:04] Ummi: That’s great. Thank you, Kirsty. And thank you to our audience for listening to this special episode. We hope you enjoyed it. If you are a student at UCEM who identifies as a female and would like to join us for our next female networking group session, please contact outreachandinclusion@ucem.ac.uk. [05:28] Aysha: Thanks for listening to the Be Part of the Change podcast. To find out more and to get involved with the campaign, Google ucem Be Part of the Change. If you would like to get in touch with our student officers, contact outreachandinclusion@ucem.ac.uk.
