Blog: “I want to show women you can go far in architecture” Written by Annie Makoff-Clark Friday 20 September 2024 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email 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 Login or register below for Free Instant Access We’re carrying out essential system maintenance between 12 - 19 January 2026. During this time, some CMI services will be temporarily unavailable, including new friend registrations. Please check back from 19th January - we look forward to welcoming you! Find out more Login If you are already registered as a CMI Friend, Subscriber or Member, just login to view this article. Confirm your registration Login below to confirm your details and access this article. Sign in with email Email remember me remember Forget? Please confirm that you want to switch off the "Sign in with email" remember me feature. Yes No Blog This is a space for people to stay up-to-date with all the latest knowledge, opinions and commentary on management and leadership topics from some industry leaders. Members See More CMI Members have access to thousands of online learning and CPD resources. Learn more about our membership benefits Join The Community CMI offers a variety of flexible membership solutions, tailored to your needs. Find out more and get involved in the CMI community today.
