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“I want to show women you can go far in architecture”

Written by Annie Makoff-Clark Friday 20 September 2024

Chartered Manager of the Week Vaso Vaina CMgr FCMI aims to be a role model for women in architecture – and she, in turn, is finding peer support as a senior leader through CMI’s network

Vaso Vaina CMgr FCMI is on a mission: she wants to show that architecture is a feasible career option for women. It takes around seven years to fully qualify as an architect, which, as Vaso explains, “discourages” a lot of women, particularly those with childcare commitments.

But things are changing, albeit slowly. Although women currently account for just under 30% of registered architects, UCAS figures revealed a near 50:50 gender split in architecture undergraduate students since 2021. The question now, says Vaso, is: why, despite higher numbers of female architects, are we not seeing more reach senior positions?

“Managers owe it to others to reflect on the impact they are having”

Walking the walk

Vaso, who is also chair of the Surrey branch of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and a RIBA student mentor, speaks regularly at industry events and hopes that her presence would increase female representation at senior levels in the construction industry.

Keep reading: how CMI supports Vaso in her aim to be a great role model

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