What’s your career journey so far and how did you enter the construction industry/SMD? I joined SMD from the world of recruitment in March 2021. My first job was as an admin and accounts assistant, and I’ve had several roles since then. However, I’ve also been able to satisfy my travel bug, and had periods away touring Australia, Canada and America. I’ve even spent time working in childcare whilst deciding on which career path to take. In 2024, I was lured back to SMD into the role I have now as operations coordinator. SMD has put me through various training courses for my operations role, and other aspects of my job including health and safety, and the Construction Skills Certification Scheme.
Can you tell us about your current role and what a typical day/week looks like?
I work across various departments in a very diverse role, primarily working in operations, accounts and procurement, also I work on H&S compliance, training, fleet management and human resources.
Do you feel that it’s a male dominated industry? Yes, it is still primarily male dominated, but I feel there are a lot more women in the industry than people expect, and more exposure of women in construction and the types of roles available, would encourage girls to get involved, as the industry is definitely a lot more inclusive than it was in the past.
Do you ever go out to sites? If so, what do you notice about the gender differences? I used to go to sites a lot in my previous roles. I always found it to be a positive experience. I felt everyone on site was friendly and professional, treating the women with the same respect (if not more) than they do the men on site.
It’s so interesting to go to sites and see the building’s progress and learn more about the ins and outs of the construction process.
What changes, if any, have you noticed in the culture of the industry so far?
In my experience, the culture is inclusive and welcoming to women, there is definitely a ‘banter’ type culture among colleagues in the industry, and it’s generally fun and jokey.
What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them? I haven’t found any challenges as a women in the industry. I feel I am quite confident in getting my opinions across, but less confident women may find it challenging to be heard in a male dominated environment. This has not been my experience at SMD though, the company is inclusive of all and listens to all employees, but I would say when dealing with external parties, such as subcontractors, suppliers etc, this can still be a noticeable issue.
What does inclusion look like to you? Everyone being treated equally, listen to, respected and supported, which SMD does really well, for all!
Do you think there are any misconceptions about women working in the construction industry? Yes, I think there is not enough awareness of women in construction. People are unaware of all the roles that go on behind the scenes in construction to make sure the sites run smoothly, a lot of which are dominated by women.
What skills/characteristics do you think women bring to the construction sector? Diversity, a different perspective, different opinions, organisational skills, coordination.
