Women in Construction week runs from 6-12 March and this year the theme is "break the bias". We caught up with Construction student Kerry to find out more about her career journey in this typically male-dominated industry. Could a qualification in Construction be for you?
"I have been working for Kent County Council for the past 14 years, working my way through from our Contact Centre until 2012 where I transferred to Kent Highways, starting in the Network Response Team. There we arranged works for the networks' permanent traffic signals, variable message signs, and coordinated incidents on the Highway network. I've also worked in the Priority Response Team. In 2016 I became a Highway Steward responsible for the maintenance and repair of the highway in Maidstone town centre. Day to day I am out inspecting.
I have been studying for the past 4 years with the College, completing my Level 3 Construction & Built Environment and I am currently completing my Level 4 HNC. So far it has been a very good experience. Fitting it around my job, which is very high paced, has been a challenge. Charlotte has been a great help and also is a great inspiration, sharing knowledge of her past jobs and showing us that we can find our way through in a male-dominated environment. Also my manager is a female Engineer who has pushed and supported me through this course and my day to day work. When I first started out in the industry it was a very scary prospect as I lacked confidence in my self and was intimidated. Since then and with the help of my time at College, I have grown in confidence.
In the future, my aim is to become a Highway Operations Engineer or a Resurfacing Engineer within KCC.
My advice to any woman thinking of entering the Construction industry is don't be intimidated, stand your ground and look forward."
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