To celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday 8th March, we sat down with some of the talented women in our business to discuss their experiences working in the construction industry in managerial positions often held by men.
Louise Mullarkey – Customer Services Manager
Customer Services Manager, Louise, has been at Elkins for three years. She is responsible for managing our Resident Liaison team, monitoring KPIs, performance management, complaints management and resource planning.
“I started out in the construction industry as a Resident Liaison Officer, after someone suggested that it would be a good fit for me. I applied, got the job and found that, not only did I really enjoy it, I was also good at it. I’m proud that my hard work and dedication has paid off, as I was able to work my way up from an RLO to Customer Services Manager in just five years.”
“Construction is still male-dominated and often women are not treated equally. That being said, I wouldn’t discourage women from getting into the industry – in fact, we need more women to influence change. You can be successful as a woman in construction, just don’t be afraid to ask questions and work hard.”
Marnie Greenwood – Assistant Contracts Manager
Marnie joined us as Assistants Contracts Manager nine months ago. She assists the Senior Managers in Elkins’ New Build division in managing our modular projects, from manufacturing to delivery, handover and post completion.
“I went straight into the construction industry from school. After my A-levels I got a Level 4 Project Management apprenticeship and worked full-time for a modular construction company whilst studying for my exams. Once I completed my apprenticeship I continued working in construction, and here I am nine years later!”
“I’ve not really experienced any specific challenges as a woman in the construction industry. I was very fortunate to have other strong women around me in the early stages of my career and I would say that they taught me how to hold myself, earn respect and really relish in my work. I feel lucky that the companies I’ve worked for have always offered equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of their background, gender, race etc. My experience has been really positive and I’d encourage other women thinking about working in the industry to do it! At times it can be high pressure, but it offers great variety – no two days are the same – and you get to be a part of the journey in seeing projects become a reality, which is really rewarding.
Sarah Silburn – HR Manager
Sarah has worked for Elkins for close to seven years, managing all the HR elements of the business, providing strategic support on people-matters, advising on risk, training and employee relations.
“I used to work on the operations team in logistics and manufacturing but I was told I needed to gain some ‘formal qualifications’ to move up the ranks and earn the same as my male counterparts – so I did. I was sponsored to study for an MBA and, after four years of hard work, juggling my studies with my full-time job and a busy home life with my seven-year-old son, I was awarded my MBA in Business and Organisational Design and an MA in Human Resources Management. The qualifications allowed me to change my direction to pursue a successful career in HR.”
“Although things have improved massively for women in construction over the last five years, there are still a lot of old-fashioned attitudes in the industry and getting past that can be a challenge. My advice would be to speak up, make yourself heard and get noticed. If you make a mistake, learn from it and move on – but be fearless, and show everyone that the contribution you, and other women, make is valuable. I’m really proud of my achievements and would encourage other women to go after what they want, because you can do anything!”
Nadine McCourt – Client Manager
Nadine has worked for Elkins since 2015. Her role involves assisting our team of Resident Liaison Officers with their processes, procedures and audits, to ensure the client is updated on project progress. She is currently heading up the rollout of our new digital construction toolkit software across the business.
“I didn’t necessarily expect to end up in the construction industry, but I was drawn to the customer-facing side of the role. I found I enjoyed the variety and being out and about in the community, so decided to pursue it as a career.”
“Being a woman in a male-dominated industry can be challenging and, in the past, there have been times when I feel like I’ve not been taken as seriously as my male colleagues, but I’ve not let it hold me back. It does feel like things are changing and I’d encourage any women who want to work in construction not to be put off. Over the course of my career, the number of women has been increasing, and the more we diversify the workforce, the more we can change the outdated opinion that construction is just for men.”
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