The built environment is changing fast. Digital tools, AI and data-driven delivery are reshaping how projects are designed, built and managed, but the people leading that change still don’t reflect the full breadth of talent available. Willow Williams is working to fix that. As Global Education Lead for Women in BIM (WIB) and founder of ThreadPoint Studio, she’s spent her career making digital construction more accessible, more inclusive and harder to ignore. This International Women’s Day, we sat down with her to talk barriers, breakthroughs and what the industry needs to do next.
IWD 2026: Willow Williams on building the pathway for women in BIM
As Global Education Lead for Women in BIM, what’s the biggest barrier stopping women from stepping into digital roles in the built environment?
Clarity and confidence, not capability. Many women don’t get a visible “on-ramp” into digital roles, so they’re left guessing what the job actually involves, what skills are expected, and how to translate what they already know into a digital pathway. When the route is unclear, confidence drops and people self-select out. Clear learning pathways, practical exposure, and supportive networks change that quickly.
Who was the woman who inspired you most in your career, and what did she teach you?
Sarah Fox, who mentored me through Women in BIM, connected with me at exactly the right moment. One of the things WIB does at its best is create space for women to network and be genuinely seen, and Sarah had that gift. She could recognise what you brought to the table even when the environment around you wasn’t reflecting it back. What she gave me was clarity about my own value, my instincts, and my right to trust them. That lesson has stayed with me.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you beyond the hashtags?
It’s a checkpoint. Not just celebration, but measurement. Who is being hired, who is being sponsored, who is being promoted, and who is being trusted with responsibility. It’s also about visibility with substance, giving women real access to skills, opportunities, and networks, not just inspiration.
What would you say to a woman who’s curious about a career in digital construction but doesn’t know where to begin?
The best way to understand digital construction is to get close to the work itself, not just the job titles. Sit in on a coordination meeting, shadow someone in a BIM or digital delivery team, and listen to how teams solve problems together. Once you see how information moves through a project, the roles start to make much more sense.
Digital construction is evolving quickly, and the tools will continue to change. What matters most is building strong foundations in information management and data governance, as digital delivery works best when the data behind it is structured, trusted, and usable.
For anyone starting out, curiosity is far more valuable than perfection. Careers in this space rarely begin with certainty, they begin with people asking questions, getting involved in small ways, and gradually finding their place as the industry continues to evolve.