Why do little girls love Taylor Swift - and what can it teach us about role models in construction?

Think of three people that are largely considered role models in today’s society. What do they have in common? There’s no standard formula – apart from one thing. They are famous.

And because they are famous, people have got to ‘know’ them – and they aspire to be like them, not just for what they have achieved but also for the package they are. As much as we’d like to think that little girls aspire to be like Taylor Swift purely because she is a hard working, accomplished songwriter – the fact is, there is so much more behind the adoration, from the way she dresses, to the way she deals with heartbreak.

The potential of role models in the construction sector

Construction already has the raw ingredients for great role models — but too often their stories remain untold.

A good example is Purdy’s “Inspiring the Next Generation” campaign. Faced with a skills shortage in painting and decorating, Purdy worked with CIB to spotlight real decorators and apprentices, capturing their journeys into the trade and what makes their work rewarding.

The campaign’s video series didn’t just promote quality tools; it created visible, relatable figures for young people considering a career in the sector, and highlighted women thriving in a traditionally male-dominated field. Read our inspirational Purdy’s case study in full.

For more examples of women making an impact in construction, read about our experience at the wonderful Chicks With Bricks event.

Learning from mass media and influencers

Mass media’s influence just cannot be ignored. Not only in promoting the personalities and lifestyles of real people – but fictional people too. I’ve said it before in a previous blog – but if Miranda Hobbes had been a civil engineer in Sex in the City, would we have seen a whole generation of young women suddenly able to identify with this as a potential career?

Now, I’m not sure how you go about lobbying the scriptwriters of HBO to start including more characters that work in construction (although perhaps it’s worth a go?). However, increasing the public profile of a real person is more within our reach than ever before – with the advent of vloggers.

Felix Kjellberg (aka PewDiePie) is an internet vlogger that has 42 million subscribers; who earned $7.4m in 2014 by uploading videos of himself playing video games. Zoella is the UK sensation that gives make-up tips to over 10 million subscribers. The construction industry needs a Felix and a Zoella.

The challenge: introducing the people behind the job titles to the world

So my challenge to the industry is this. We need to focus not just on role models that can be defined by their success – but also by their personality and way of life. We need some engaging self-publicists that don’t take themselves too seriously - who are happy to give away more of themselves than just their work achievements.

We need people who can inspire by pure enthusiasm and honesty, not just by the job title they have achieved or the money that they earn (or indeed not just by the iconic structure they have helped create.) Because a true role model has the whole package.

PR is key to building role models in the construction sector

The construction industry is full of untold stories of skilled professionals whose experience, passion, and personality could inspire the next generation. But even if their work speaks for itself, it doesn’t necessarily speak for them.

Just as celebrities rely on PR to shape their public story, construction professionals can benefit from the same approach. At CIB, we can help brands uncover and share these stories, turning individuals into visible role models who resonate beyond the site — while also strengthening your brand and business profile.

Elevate your construction role models with CIB

If you have someone on your team with the potential to be the next “big thing” in construction, let’s talk.