In the second instance, the people that are involved in the build. As I said above, you see the builders on the ground and maybe a manager or two. But with all those different aspects involved in the build, a large amount of skilled tradespeople go into the body, from the manufacturing of the materials to the trades on site. Additionally, you don’t see the planning behind the scenes, from the initial requirement for the build, through to getting it started, throughout the construction and even past completion, and the number of people and disciplines that go into it. After taking a degree in construction management at university, I went onto a graduate scheme within a construction company. Luckily I went through a rotation process where I could carry out, experience, and learn about different roles; site management, design management, quantity surveying, and planning. These things opened my eyes up to how many processes, work, and aspects go into running a project and even just getting it to the site in the first place. And it’s not just people on the team involved; you also have clients, councils, planning, building control, and so many other stakeholders that have to be considered. 

  Construction, buildings, and the industry have fascinated me more and more as I get involved and learn. Although it is clear there are more women now within the industry, it does tend to be more on the design and commercial side. You do not see many women on-site as tradeswomen or in site managerial roles, but the numbers are starting to grow. I chose to be on-site rather than in the office environment side of the industry because you feel you are more involved in the actual build and can see it grow and develop in front of your very eyes. Every project is different. Every day is other, making it an exciting career. Also, it’s much more fun than sitting in an office! Having something physical to look at, you get an immense feeling of satisfaction and pride.