A unicorn in Uniform

Yep! You read that right! When I googled the stats for women like me, (a 43 year old, wife and mother owning their own business and being a Pest Control Technician), Gemini told me I was a ‘Statistical Unicorn’ as I made up 0.5% of the whole Pest Control Industry!

As we are all too aware, recruiting into Pest Control will likely become critical over the next decade, with a reported 40% of our colleagues looking to retire.
I couldn’t think of doing anything else now I am in this career and my passion for it grows year on year. I don’t tend to see many female technicians though, and I can see why. With 95% of the UK workforce being male (and the average age being 45+), from the outside looking in, it would make you question if and maybe even why a woman would want to work in a career seen as dirty, dusty and full of chemicals and carcasses! Perceptions of our job are slowly starting to shift from what has long been seen as a necessary evil to a highly skilled professional in public health and management.

I’ve turned up to many jobs, when the front door is opened and there is a look of surprise on the face of the customer, and honestly, sometimes relief as well. A woman in combats and a hoodie, gloved and ready to shimmy up into the loft is not a common sight! But for my elderly customers, specifically the ladies of the house, they think it’s wonderful! I’ve had many conversations with my customers of the experiences they have had with Pest Controllers in the past. One customer once told me, ‘I’ve told the lady next door you’ll go over to help her as well, and to not worry as you’re a woman!’ I think that in itself shows the value that female pest controllers can bring to the job.

As I go through what I do day to day on my rounds, I don’t think there is anything I can’t do that my male colleagues do. Physicality helps but isn’t the crux of the job, the modern day pest controller is a blend of scientist, detective and consultant, our role is surprisingly academic and psychological. I challenge you to go through a call out you’ve done and look at all the skills it takes to carry that job out from start to finish and tell me what you do isn’t valuable!

Sure, I lift manhole covers. (I can’t count the times I’ve done it whilst the man of the house just stands and watches!) I climb ladders and crawl around dusty and cobwebby loft spaces. I empty the traps of rodent bodies and take them away and trudge through gardens and warehouses. I’ve been out in the pouring down rain and boiled on a hot summer’s day in my bee suit. Yes, sometimes it is dirty, I’ve been stung and I’ve caught my finger in a rat trap before now. But, when I come home, I leave my work and my mucky boots at the door, and I am so grateful to have that freedom.

Representing less than 5% of women in the industry, I want to shout about how great this career is for my demographic! We are an untapped gold mine of people. We’ve had our kids and we’re looking for a long term, meaningful career path that gives us autonomy and freedom from traditional roles that working mums often find themselves in . Those jobs that do offer the holy grail ‘School Hours’ are hard to come by. According to surveys from both Working Families and Flex Appeal, 93% of UK mothers cite flexible working hours as their top priority.

I run my own business, and although I work part-time, I can’t fault the work/life balance it brings. I tend to work within school hours which 90% of the time works well for making appointments. If I need to work evenings I can and it works around school holidays as well.

I manage my workload day to day, this gives me time for my customers and for myself to make sure I do a thorough job. I pride myself on my customer service. Empathy and understanding goes a long way and most jobs I receive now are through word of mouth, which is the best compliment I can have! One of the biggest things I took away from my trainer, Oli Madge who is sadly, no longer with us, was that you have the freedom in pest control to do what you want to and make it your own. I’m leaning heavily towards specializing in Rodent work because this is where my passion and drive lies, and where most of my work comes from.

And let’s not forget, for anyone looking to come into the sector, Pest Control is a secure career to be in. According to a report by IBISWorld on Pest Control in the UK, as a service industry we are valued at £680 Million and that is set to grow around 6% annually. Our physical and technical expertise are not only indispensable but essential for public health. There will always be pests around, and there will always be a need for someone to deal with them.

It’s time for a bit of outside the ‘bait’ box thinking and as a proud member of the Women In Pest Control Committee for the NPTA, I hope I can not only help shape the future so Women can see the benefits working in the industry but support them as well.

Evolution requires adaptability – not just in our field but in employment and retention as well.