I am a Construction Project Engineer at Bechtel working on the Devonport Dockyards Project. I’m currently one of the Institution of Civil Engineers President’s Future Leaders and Chair of the Women@Bechtel UK & Ireland Board. I have an MEng in Civil Engineering from Bath University and was the 2018 UK Construction and Engineering Undergraduate of the Year.

I am Project Manager for Bechtel’s 2023 B2P Project to build a 140m suspension bridge in Rwanda. Previous projects include the Grange University Hospital, Hinkley Workers Campus, Hinkley Point C and CityFibre.

An interesting fact about me is that if I hadn’t become a Civil Engineer I was going to become an opera singer!

My key skills are that I’m a team player, inquisitive, positive, resilient, a natural leader and determined!

I think one of the biggest challenges we face especially in construction is that we are still the minority and there is often a sense of imposter syndrome. The industry is definitely better than it was and moving in the right direction but it can still be challenging for women to call out micro aggressions in the workplace with no negative repercussions! Therefore, I believe everyone has a responsibility to call out non-inclusive behaviour when we see or hear it, not just the minority!

I would say definitely join the construction industry as being part of the change is so rewarding! I love being a civil engineer, building things that make a real difference and change people’s lives for the better. It is also an incredible feeling driving past projects you’ve been involved in and being able to say “I built that!” and knowing you are leaving a legacy behind. For anyone joining or changing the industry, my biggest piece of advice is to be resilient and persevere, as calling these non-inclusive behaviours out will not only improve the working environment for you and others around you, but also for future generations to come.