HAULAGE and Aggregates company Cullimore Group has broken gender stereotypes by hiring two young women to work on a quarry.

Among the 100 strong workforce at Cullimore are Emma Wallis, 24 and Josie Barstow, 18 at the Marston Meysey site on the Gloucestershire/Wiltshire border.

Cullimore Group have been serving for 90 years and are one of the most established firms in the industry. Managing director Moreton Cullimore hopes more follow in their footsteps.

“Being part of the team at Cullimore Group means being valued for your skills and potential.” said Moreton. “We’re proud to adopt a team approach in all that we do and who we employ and if necessary jettisoning traditional stereotypes and focusing on skill and aptitude.

“If a person is committed and hard working then they’re a good fit for our team, men or women. I get tired when people talk about quotas when they should be talking about talent and skills. 

"It's hardly news that the construction industry is experiencing a major skills shortage and we recognise the importance of training people. 

Despite the age old ideas of who fits the bill as a quarry worker, the real requirements are that a person is comitted to training and development." 

Emma has enjoyed her time at Cullimore so far. “It’s definitely not how I’d imagined it at first,” she said. “I thought it would be difficult to fit in but the team are so welcoming and my initial concerns disappeared immediately.

"In terms of the job itself I surprised myself and realised I capable of doing a lot more than I initially thought, not least manouvering a fully-laden CAT in sometimes tight circumstances."