Changing the landscape: How Rebecca Fryer is accelerating growth for women in grounds maintenance

Rebecca Fryer is regional manager for Grounds Maintenance at Nurture Group. She has been with the company for 3.5 years and has quickly worked her way up through the ranks. Fryer is passionate about encouraging and supporting the progression of women in the industry.

I never expected to lead a team of 50+ grounds maintenance colleagues when I first set foot in this industry. Like many women, my initial role was behind a desk, handling administration where female employees are heavily overrepresented rather than working on-site. But today, as one of the youngest female contracts managers at Nurture Group, I’m proving that career paths in male-dominated fields don’t have to be linear or predetermined.

My journey is part of a bigger issue. Women remain underrepresented in operational roles across multiple industries, particularly in grounds maintenance, where leadership has long been a male stronghold. Despite all the talk of gender equality, too many women are still funnelled into support roles, overlooked in favour of their male counterparts for front-line positions that progress to leadership.

It was only when I transitioned into a practical role, getting first-hand experience of operations, that I realised how much more I could achieve. Luckily, Nurture saw my potential and accelerated my career by giving me more challenges. I’m also proud to say that my achievements have been acknowledged by the industry, earning me a prestigious 30 Under 30 award.

But sadly, that’s not the case for all women. How many other capable women are overlooked simply because it’s simply assumed that they “belong” in administrative roles? Research shows that while we make up a significant proportion of the workforce, we are vastly underrepresented in operational and senior management positions. If businesses fail to see and support this hidden talent, they are missing out on a rich pipeline of future leaders.

This isn’t simply about individual ambition, it’s about industry-wide change. If companies are serious about accelerating action on gender parity in operational roles, they need to take deliberate and strategic steps to dismantle barriers, just like we do here at Nurture. But how? You might ask.

Firstly, organisations should audit their internal progression pathways. How many women currently move from administrative to operational roles? If the answer is few or none, they need to ask why, and fix it. Creating structured transition opportunities will allow talented women to step forward with confidence.

Secondly, recruitment strategies must evolve. Instead of relying on traditional hiring patterns, companies should actively encourage internal mobility. They need to identify and support women in administrative roles who have leadership potential, rather than defaulting to external hires.

Finally, we need industry-wide collaboration. Businesses, trade associations, and training providers must work together to establish career-switching programmes that provide clear pathways into operational roles.

If businesses are serious about accelerating action on career progression, they must rethink how they recruit, train, and promote female talent.

The gender imbalance in the industry isn’t because there aren’t capable women, it’s because the opportunities are not available to them. The next generation of female leaders is already here. The question is: will businesses give them the chance to step up?