2016 European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards

MAY 2016

CAROL

STITCHMAN THE MOST DISTINGUISHED WINNER OF 2016

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FINALISTS AND THE WINNERS FROM ZARS MEDIA, PROUD HOST OF TONIGHT'S CELEBRATIONS

WELCOME THE TAGLINE FOR THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING AWARDS IS “BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS AND BUILDING NEW HEIGHTS”.

We certainly saw that at this year’s awards with some incredible women involved in some complex and challenging projects. They have shown us that diversity enriches the workplace and that challenges can be met with, skill, talent and persistence.

We were truly overwhelmed by the number and the calibre of nominations we received this year from all over Europe and the wider world. We were reminded that women are indeed at the forefront of diversity and inclusion and are challenging the status quo through driving change and innovation.

As we reveal the winners of the 2016 WICE Awards, we invite you to celebrate and share in the success of all the women and men who are inspiring the momentum for change in the workplace.

Thank you to all the companies that took the time to submit nominations and congratulations to all finalists and the winners. You are inspiring the next generation in these industries.

Find latest news about WICE AWARDS and share yout experience of the event at: LinkedIn: european-womenin-construction-&-engineering-awards Facebook: wiceawards Twitter: WICEAwards Google +: +Wiceawardseurope

Finally, putting this year’s magazine together has not been without its challenges. However, we are very pleased with the outcome and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in 2017.

AFI OFORI

Managing Director, Zars Media

THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS MAGAZINE - MAY 2016 is published by Zars Media

On the Cover: CAROL STITCHMAN, THE MOST DISTINGUISHED WINNER OF 2016

8 Heathfield Court, Fleet, Hampshire GU51 5DX England, United Kingdom Tel.: 01252612025, info@wisawards.com

Design by: BRANDBEES

design.brandbees@gmail.com

MAY 2016

www.wiceawards.com

CAROL

STITCHMAN

THE MOST DISTINGUISHED WINNER OF 2016

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IN THIS MAGAZINE 6|

THE WOMAN BEHIND THE HARDHAT

42 |

THE JUDGING DAY: A JUDGES' PERSPECTIVE

8|

WOMEN LEADERS IN CONSTRUCTION: STICKY FLOOR, STICKIER LADDER AND THE GLASS CEILING

48 |

THE SPEAKERS

50 |

WOMEN LEADERS IN CONSTRUCTION: THE STICKY FLOOR

52 |

THE STATE OF ENGINEERING KEY FACTS 2016

54 |

RECOVERING THE LOST GENERATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY’S FUTURE

60 |

WICE AWARDS 2016 FINALISTS

84 |

WICE AWARDS 2016 WINNERS

10 |

10 CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2016

22 |

MY GENERATION: HOW MILLENNIALS WILL IMPACT CONSTRUCTION

30 |

WOULD QUOTAS BRING MORE WOMEN INTO ENGINEERING?

34 |

GEN Y: THE NEW FACE OF CONSTRUCTION

36 |

THE JUDGES

40 |

THE JUDGING PROCESS

128 |

GREAT WOMEN IN ENGINEERING HISTORY

136 |

THE NEXT GENERATION AND THEIR PERCEPTION OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING

KEYNOTE SPEAKER Sandi Rhys Jones OBE Strategist, Change Agent, Motivational Speaker

A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING INDUSTRY, AND IN PARTICULAR THE ROLE OF WOMEN.

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Sandi Rhys Jones has more than thirty years experience in strategic marketing and management, communications and training for technical and professional organisations. ​ ince founding RhysJones Consultants in 1976, she has worked S for a wide range of clients, including consultants, contractors, suppliers, representative bodies, local and national government.

Between 1997 and 2002, was trustee and chair of the charity Women’s Education in Building, which trained disadvantaged women in building trades and IT. From February 1998 until October 2000, was non-executive director of Docklands Light Railway Ltd. Between 2002 and 2009, she was non-executive director of the of Simons Group, a construction, design and property.

144 138 |

INVESTING IN WORKER SAFETY THROUGH WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY

140 |

ENGINEERS BRIDGE THE DIVIDE BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

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WOMEN LEADERS IN CONSTRUCTION: THE EVEN STICKIER LADDER

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WOMEN IN RAIL: CLOSING THE GENDER GAP

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BREXIT – HOW WILL IT IMPACT CONSTRUCTION

153 |

WOMEN LEADERS IN CONSTRUCTION: THE GLASS CEILING

Sandi is Corporate Affairs Advisor to the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering, Construction and Technology.

She is a member of the Strategic Forum for Construction, and is a founder member of the Raising the Ratio group of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

In 1998, Sandi was awarded the OBE for promoting women in construction.

CLOSING KEYNOTE SPEAKER Andrew Mitchell CBE FREng Chief Executive Officer, Thames Tideway Tunnel Ltd

Now CEO of the Thames Tideway Tunnel project, Andy Mitchell was the programme director for the £14.8bn Crossrail. He was the leading engineer on the Crossrail Board responsible for delivering the largest infrastructure programme in Europe. Andy has also been involved in other substantial infrastructure programmes including Programme Director on the £5bn Thameslink project. His outstanding leadership in terms of promoting people into engineering careers, delivering programmes, and engagement with the supply chain that fully deserves recognition. Andy is Chairman of the IUK Infrastructure Client Group, and is a Visiting Professor at Leeds University.

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THE WOMAN BEHIND THE HARDHAT

By SHIRLEY RAMOS, Executive and Sales Coaching, Talent and Leadership Development, Gender Strategist and Thought Leadership

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW WOMEN IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY REALLY EXPERIENCE THEIR LEADERSHIP ROLES? 6

The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

Underlying gender bias has been blamed for women being unable to become project managers or senior project managers, associating a woman’s role as primarily responsible for family.

H

aving worked with women at all levels of leadership in construction companies from coast to coast, I have yet to talk to or work with a woman leader in the industry who doesn’t have a story to share. It could be a story about being overlooked for a promotion, or one of not being seen as credible in an industry that is more comfortable with men in leadership positions. The stories also focus on not being included in meetings, conversations or in social events where the opportunities for advancement are discussed and decided, or how the women were considered aggressive when being decisive or inappropriately emotional when being passionate. Finally, I also hear stories about how they’re constantly being asked about how they can possibly balance the workload of a project manager while having a family.

The stories are many and unique; woven throughout are common themes that resonate as challenges for both aspiring and accomplished women leaders in construction.

These challenges include: THE CREDIBILITY CHALLENGE: “The notion that we know anything about construction…” This quote from an accomplished woman who has spent her adult life in the industry as a leader, an owner and now is seen as an industry authority, says it all. “There was no ‘listening’ for me as a woman.

It wasn’t that they weren’t actually listening to me; it was more that men hadn’t experienced women with industry understanding previously to believe that I knew the industry well enough to have something to say. I had to avoid talking about anything that might be seen as feminine (family, cooking), choosing to focus instead on industry topics to establish the ‘listening’ with the men in the industry, in order to be heard and considered credible.”

THE PERFORMANCE CHALLENGE: Sheryl Sandberg, in her book Lean In, introduces an observation that promotion for men is based on potential, while for women it requires performance. This premise is confirmed as women on career paths to become project managers and lead engineers feel they have to prove they can do a job before they have the opportunity to actually do it. This comes as a result of limited experience with women in the industry. Men are more willing to give a man the opportunity because they have seen men be successful and trust the potential is there. It isn’t the same for women.

THE GENDER BIAS CHALLENGE: There is little debate that overt gender bias – the type of bias that might keep women from opportunities in leadership in the industry – has improved greatly over the last few decades. Programs with flexible schedules and fair hiring and recruiting practices have allowed women to compete for roles that have been traditionally allocated for men. There is however a more ‘covert’ bias, referred to as second-generation gender bias, which still exists in both women and men. Defined as practices that may appear neutral or non-sexist, in that they apply to everyone, but which discriminate against women, in reality reflect the values of the men who created or developed the setting, usually a workplace. The fact that leaders are expected to be assertive, so that women who act in a more collaborative fashion are not viewed as leaders, but women who do act assertively are often perceived as too aggressive, is one example of second-generation gender bias. Such bias shows up as women project managers work with subcontractors, superintendents and even clients. In other words, “who” we think women should be doesn’t align closely with the accepted characteristics of strong industry PMs.

However even in the midst of these challenges, there are women who become successful industry leaders. Some will tell you that they never felt the challenges. These are the women who were empowered in the midst of the barriers and found ways to navigate the challenges. Others have experienced these challenges exponentially. Credibility and proof of performance has delayed or blocked promotions for some deserving women. Underlying gender bias has been blamed for women being unable to become project managers or senior project managers, associating a woman’s role as primarily responsible for family. It is hard for industry traditionalists to reconcile that women with families can be dedicated and put in the hours required to be a successful construction leader.

FINDING THE ANSWERS IN EDUCATION The answers to these problems are not found in our typical leadership trainings, or even in negotiation or traditional communication seminars. The education required to meet the covert and cultural issues that become barriers for women in becoming industry leaders include a better understanding of how women and men communicate, where these biases originate, and creating a combination of credibility and listening that facilitates promotions for women. By exploring these underlying issues and how they impact career advancement and opportunity for women leaders in construction, we can support the industry in the cultural and perceptional shift necessary to enable allow women to focus on the business of construction rather than how to navigate a culture replete with bias and challenges.

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WOMEN LEADERS IN CONSTRUCTION: STICKY FLOOR, STICKIER LADDER AND THE GLASS CEILING

By SHIRLEY RAMOS, Executive and Sales Coaching, Talent and Leadership Development, Gender Strategist and Thought Leadership

W

omen struggle to be seen as credible in an industry where they only represent 9% of all employees, according to OSHA. The “show me you can do it” expectation for women at all levels in the industry delays their advancement as they struggle to prove their abilities. At the same time, they’re competing against men who just “naturally” possess the right skills (or at least that’s what everyone assumes). An underlying real, yet unconscious, gender bias keeps women as an anomaly in the industry, with their ability to be fully engaged doubtful when stacked up against family and other priorities.

The good news is that women leaders in the construction industry are passionate about what they do.

They love their work, the clients, the business, the creating, the building; they love it all. Construction Dive Magazine features seven amazingly successful women in a feature article, Bridging the Gap. In the midst of the challenges, there are women who achieve their goals despite the challenges and navigate the journey. They manage through the sticky floor and the stickier ladder to bust through the glass ceiling.

THE STICKY FLOOR phenomenon has been described as women’s career blocks, corporate barriers

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to women’s promotion, and other middle-management bottlenecks that keep women—fully capable of leadership—stuck near the bottom half of the ladder. These barriers can be real or perceived, self-imposed or overt in the organization, but they are essentially the justifications, reasonings, and assumptions that hold a potentially great woman leader from moving forward.

THE EVEN STICKIER LADDER refers to the obstacles and barriers for potential and identified leaders.

In the construction industry this often presents itself through the assumptions or underlying biases of both women and men. An assistant project manager shared a conversation with a senior PM, "...you do a great job as assistant PM. Becoming a PM though would require you to be focused on your work, and with your children at home…" Logically it is hard to reconcile this type of seemingly overt bias, but the assumption that women would not be willing or able to manage their work and their family is more prevalent that you may think. Leadership styles also play a part in moving up the sticky ladder. Being assertive and strong gets things accomplished in the complex and dynamic construction environments. How women are perceived when they are assertive and strong (i.e., overly “aggressive”),

The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

still creates challenges for this male dominated industry.

THE GLASS CEILING refers to interface between the top rungs of the ladder, where the top and most coveted positions reside.

Current research shows that across all industries, there has been great improvement in the numbers of women that hold midlevel management positions. The existing gaps lies in the percentage of women who move into more strategic positions. Within larger industry firms, for example, this could be the project manager role.

Senior engineers, senior architects and positions that have VP, partner or other high-level leadership titles fall into this category. Whether it is women self-selecting to not push through the barrier, or the industry that’s holding them back, this is a real phenomenon.

"Experts have pointed to the lack of women at all levels of the industry as one of the main factors contributing to the ongoing labor shortage," according to Construction Dive Magazine.

This lack of women significantly impacts not only the pool of capable women candidates for leadership within the industry, but also the support and understanding of how to actually navigate as an aspiring women leader.

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CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2016

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By EMILY PEIFFER, Associate editor of Industry Dive’s Construction Dive publication.

N

ow that 2015 has come and gone, construction professionals are focusing attention on the year ahead. Analysts predict 2016 will be a strong year for the industry, as Dodge Data & Analytics' 2016 Construction Outlook report predicted 6% growth, with the value of construction starts reaching an estimated $712 billion.

We talked with experts from various sectors of the construction industry to find out their predictions for 2016. Their answers varied from new technology trends, to workforce concerns, to homebuyer preferences. But one common thread connected all of the experts: They have high hopes that 2016 will bring strong demand and booming business.

"I don’t think I could be any more optimistic for 2016," Bud LaRosa, chief business performance officer and chief financial officer for Tocci Building Companies, told Construction Dive. "These are truly the good times."

Here are the top 10 trends to watch in 2016, according to the experts.

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THE OVERWHELMING, NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS ACCESS TO SKILLED LABOR

1.

SKILLED LABOR

SHORTAGE WILL CONTINUE TO PLAGUE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES

The most commonly mentioned trend for 2016 was the continued effects of the skilled worker shortage. A significant portion of employees who left the industry during the recession never returned, and companies are still struggling to find workers at all levels to properly staff their teams.

"The overwhelming, number one issue is access to skilled labor," Dominic Thasarathar, Autodesk's senior industry program manager for construction and natural resources, told Construction Dive. "So many people left the industry or were laid off, and now there's a real struggle to find the right people to staff the projects that are now coming online."

The labor crisis is not a new issue, and most experts predict it will continue well into 2016 and beyond, as the talent deficit will require multiple years to fill up again.

"Not only has the construction industry struggled to appeal to a younger, more technologically savvy workforce, but during the economic downturn, many companies opted not to bring in younger, newer talent," said Tom Menk, an assurance partner with BDO's national real estate and construction practice. "Now, that's causing struggles to fill that gap in the workforce, which is coupled with the need across industries for companies to replace retiring baby boomers."

Another significant concern: The slowdown in immigration has contributed to the already existing labor shortage, as reports have found many workers who returned to Mexico during the recession have not come back to the U.S. due to increased immigration controls and more job opportunities in Mexico.

"I think politically, the environment against immigration has changed some of the workforce dynamics and made it difficult to staff a lot of the trades," LaRosa said. "I think that trend continues. I don't see that easing anytime in the next two to three years."

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461 Dean Street high-rise modular building in Brooklyn, NY Credit: City Limits

Offsite — also known as modular or prefabricated — construction has been gaining ground as an alternative building method that offers the benefits of reduced construction time, less waste and possible cost savings. As companies struggle to staff job sites and stick to difficult schedules, many have started to turn to prefab as an option that offers more certainty.

"A lot of use of things like prefabrication, we expect that to be an accelerating trend next year," Thasarathar said.

Ron Antevy, president and CEO of e-Builder, told Construction Dive he has seen a growing use of prefab methods, especially in the healthcare sector. "(Prefab) is up-and-coming. That's a way to save costs and speed up the time," he said. "Some of the larger owners out there are starting to realize there are efficiencies there, but you have to be doing a certain amount of volume for these kinds of strategies to pay off."

Wider implementation of offsite construction has been somewhat hindered by the design and construction culture, according to experts at the Offsite Construction Expo in September. They also cited the change in the traditional building process that comes with offsite methods as a deterrent for implementing the approach, as contractors and owners struggle to adapt to the varied timeline of decisions and building. Still, the additional certainty that comes with prefab could catalyze the growing trend in 2016.

2.

PREFAB/OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION METHODS WILL BECOME MORE POPULAR

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WE AS GENERAL CONTRACTORS HAVE BECOME A LOT MORE SELECTIVE OF THE PROJECTS WE PURSUE

3.

CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES WILL BE MORE CAUTIOUS ABOUT PROJECT SELECTION

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The crippling recession and lingering labor shortage have spurred another trend among construction industry decision makers: Many are now being more cautious about the amount of new work they can handle, and about growing their companies. "(Companies) are not going to overeat. They're only taking the work they can handle," Chris Kennedy, vice president of Suffolk Construction, told Construction Dive. "It's different from the last boom, when people were signing up for work. Everybody still has those recent wounds. They're going to be a lot more cautious about growing a firm bigger than they can handle."

The labor shortage has left employers at all levels forced to take a closer look at the number and size of projects they can handle at once.

"We as general contractors have become a lot more selective of the projects we pursue," Chuck Taylor, director of operations for Englewood Construction, told Construction Dive. "I think the subcontractors are going to be in a very similar position."

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Building Information Modeling Credit: Asia Green Buildings

Building Information Modeling has been a growing trend for years, as it is no longer relegated to just the largest firms. Experts have said BIM provides tangible business benefits, no matter the level of implementation.

Many have cited BIM's ability to provide more consistent, more accurate and less time-consuming project document generation. In addition, BIM users can expect better collaboration and coordination among the different parties involved in a project, according to industry users.

"It used to be a nice thing to have, and now it’s a necessity," LaRosa said.

Jay Dacey, president of Integrated Builders, added, "In the bigger jobs, BIM is pretty much a staple right now."

Antevy said he has seen owner interest in BIM grow, as many are now requiring their contractors to utilize the technology.

"The owners have been hands-off as it relates to BIM. It has been for the contractors and designers, so we’re seeing owners start to get more interested in that," he said. "They're interested because there's data there that they can capture and capitalize on."

4.

BIM WILL BECOME A NECESSITY, AND OWNER INTEREST IN THE TECHNOLOGY WILL GROW

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LEED Certified Green Building - Phoenix Convention Center Photo - KV

5.

GREEN BUILDING

WILL GROW IN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL SECTORS

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Commercial construction has typically led the pack in green adoption, but the residential sector is starting to catch up. The growing trend in both sectors is driven not just by a desire to produce environmentally friendly structures, but by consumer demand, higher-quality results and lifecycle cost savings, according to experts at Greenbuild 2015.

Thasarathar said that with larger construction projects, companies are aiming for LEED certification, "even if it's not prescribed."

Dacey added that although developments outside of city centers tend to not prioritize LEED as much, "almost every building design incorporates green principles." He said he expects green building and LEED certification to continue growing in the coming years.

In the residential sector, green building currently accounts for 26-33% of the total residential market and has helped contribute to the industry's recovery after the recession, according to Dodge Data & Analytics.

"I do think (green building) is a growing trend in response to demand," Robert Dietz, an economist with the National Association of Home Builders, told Construction Dive. He pointed to the aging in place movement as a driving force for that demand, as baby boomers are remodeling their current homes and seeking out ways to increase energy efficiency and reduce utility bills.

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THIS WILL LEAD TO MORE ENTRY LEVEL, UNSEASONED CONSTRUCTION WORKERS NOT APPROPRIATELY TRAINED

Last year, authorities across the U.S. pumped up efforts to seek out contractor misconduct and dish out severe punishment, including criminal charges, for violations and offenses from worker safety issues to corruption. Manhattan even launched the Construction Fraud Task Force in August to investigate "wrongdoing and unsafe practices" in construction, including fraud, bribery, extortion, money laundering, bid rigging, larceny and safety violations. A New York Times report in November also found that construction worker deaths are on the rise in New York City, and safety measures were inadequate on many of the construction sites where deaths occurred and that immigrants represented a disproportionate percentage of those killed.

Experts predict this heightened focus on industry wrongdoing will continue into 2016, especially as OSHA will increase its fines this year for the first time since 1990.

Raymond T. Mellon, a senior partner at Zetlin & De Chiara, said he believes construction accidents will increase in New York City this year due to "a dilution of the trained and experienced work force as a result of the continuing red hot construction market." He added, "This will lead to more entry level, unseasoned construction workers not appropriately trained as to the work itself, as well as safety features, on worksites.

Combine this with the entry of 'novice developers' who have a tendency to cut corners, and you have the potential for more accidents."

6.

JOBSITE ACCIDENTS AND CRIMINAL INDICTMENTS ON THE RISE

David Pfeffer, chair of the Construction Practice Group at Tarter Krinsky & Drogin, said he predicts there will be more criminal indictments in 2016 because officials "want to make an example." He added that although indictments this year with be the result of past practices, he believes the influx of cases will "help in the long-term future. It definitely has an effect... We have a very good construction industry here. They do listen.

The bad contractors generally don't stick around."

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SINGLE-FAMILY CONSTRUCTION WILL SEE A

20% INCREASE IN STARTS THIS YEAR

7.

BOOMING

MULTIFAMILY SECTOR WILL SLOW DOWN AS SINGLE-FAMILY SECTOR PICKS UP STEAM 18

Industry analysts have largely agreed that the multifamily sector's hot streak will inevitably cool down, and that slowdown will likely occur in 2016. On the positive side, the single-family sector is expected to pick up steam and see a strong year. In its 2016 Construction Outlook, Dodge Data predicted single-family construction will see a 20% increase in starts this year, while multifamily is expected to post a 7% gain after several years of double-digit increases.

"I expect the homebuilding sector will continue to show improvement. If anything happens on the multifamily side, I think it will probably level off.

The upward slope for multifamily won't be as strong as for single-family," Alex Carrick, CMD's chief economist, told Construction Dive.

Still, single-family housing has a long way to go to return to prerecession, "normal" levels. During a webinar in November, NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe said single-family construction is currently 53% back to what is considered "normal" levels, and should be 91% of the way there by the end of 2017. Multifamily, on the other hand, is already significantly higher than "normal" levels, currently 32% above the mark.

Crowe said the multifamily sector is expected to slowdown in the next two years, coming in 9% higher than "normal" levels at the end of 2017.

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3-D laser scanner Credit: BIM Learning Center

Although BIM tends to dominate the construction technology narrative, experts pointed to another emerging technology that is having a significant impact on the industry: laser scanning. 3-D laser scanners can create a digital reproduction of the dimensions and positions of objects in a certain space, and then turn that information into a point cloud image.

"Laser scanning I think has a lot of room to run. Not as many people are using it, but it's a great tool to measure more precisely than most conventional ways," LaRosa said. "What the laser scanner allows you to do is get millions of data points and put that into a building information model and provide much more information about conditions you couldn't get previously. Look for that to continue to grow certainly next year and for another five years."

Taylor added that laser technology allows contractors to precisely "define to the client where we had issues with the existing floor," and then make the necessary changes.

8.

LASER SCANNING TECHNOLOGY WILL GAIN POPULARITY

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THROUGH ALL OF THE UPS AND DOWNS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE

9.

REMODELING

WILL HAVE A STRONG YEAR, ESPECIALLY IN THE LUXURY MARKET 20

Along with strength in the single-family market this year, experts also predict the remodeling sector will have a banner year in 2016.

"We're encouraged by recent data that shows consumers have a strong desire to invest in their homes. In fact, survey respondents are indicating that growth in their home improvement spending is outpacing increases in their overall spending," Mike Horn, vice president of Lowe's ProServices, told Construction Dive. "The number of homeowners indicating that their home improvement spending increased has doubled since 2012. This trend underscores the great opportunity our professional contractors have to meet the needs of 75 million homeowners, in addition to the 5 million who relocate or move into a new home each year, across the country increasingly willing to engage in home improvement in 2016."

Bob Ernst, president of the Building & Remodeling Association of Greater Boston, said he projects significant growth in the remodeling sector this year.

"Through all of the ups and downs, this is the first time I feel very comfortable," he told Construction Dive.

Ernst emphasized the luxury market in particular as offering the most opportunity for remodelers. "At that market level, they’re spending money," he said. He noted, however, that the middle and lower markets haven't reached the demand level exhibited in luxury markets, as people in those markets are still struggling to save up enough money for their homes. "People serving primarily those markets might not have as rosy of an outlook," he said.

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Last month, the American Institute of Architects released the results of its third-quarter Home Design Trends Survey and found that design elements such as access to public transportation, multi-generational housing, walkable neighborhoods and mixed-use facilities dominate homeowner preferences. "There has been a pronounced shift in driving habits over the last few years, with increasing numbers of people being far more interested walking and utilizing public transit options," AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker said in a release. "With that is a desire for proximity to employment and commercial activities."

The AIA survey coincided with a National Association of Realtors survey over the summer that found walkable communities are growing in popularity among Americans of all ages, particularly millennials. Based on the results of the survey, the NAR advised developers aiming to reach the millennial demographic to consider building attached homes within walking distance of shops and restaurants and nearby public transportation. Baby boomers have reportedly expressed similar desires for their homes, as a Washington Post report in October found retiring baby boomers are downsizing and buying smaller homes in urban areas at twice the rate of millennials.

10.

HOMEBUYERS

WILL SEEK OUT SIMPLE, WALKABLE COMMUNITIES

Jerry James, president of Edward R. James Homes, said he predicts baby boomers will continue to drive the new-home construction market this year. He agreed with the NAR and AIA predictions and said he believes boomers want "simplification" driven by a desire to live in locations that allow them to walk to nearby restaurants and shops.

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MY GENERATION: HOW MILLENNIALS WILL IMPACT CONSTRUCTION

By MATTHEW WIDMAIER, Manhattan Construction Co.

IN 2011, THE OLDEST BABY BOOMERS TURNED 65.

AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE OLDEST MILLENNIALS, THE GENERATION ENCOMPASSING THOSE OF US BORN FROM THE EARLY 1980S THROUGH THE EARLY 2000S, BEGAN TURNING 30.

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01 / STEEPED IN TECHNOLOGY Members of my generation can’t remember life without a computer and have seemingly had our faces buried non-stop in laptops, smart phones or tablets for years.

01

I

point out these facts to illustrate an important point: the face of the construction industry specifically, and the American workforce in general, is changing. In fact, according to some published reports, we Millennials, also known as Generation Y, will account for the majority of the construction labour force within five years.

Now, for some this may cause acute heartburn, as Millennials are routinely lampooned as spoiled, afraid to commit to a career and suffering from severe cases of attention-deficit disorder. As a member of this generation, though, I’d like to advise you to breathe a little easier.

As Millennials account for more of the construction industry and begin to fill more executive and leadership roles, the sector will undoubtedly change, but the changes will be good ones, as the industry will become more technologically savvy, more collaborative and more conducive to a work-life balance.

Let me explain in more detail:

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Millennials will be able to put this ease and comfort with technology to good use in the construction industry. In the coming years, Building Information Modelling, which produces a large, threedimensional building model prior to construction, will become even more powerful and prevalent in the industry. Such a model gives the designer and the construction firm involved in a project a chance to pinpoint potential problems before any ground is broken and to work together to resolve those issues.

Furthermore, cloud-based software giving stakeholders access to construction documents for mark-up, tools permitting the real-time documentation of construction sites and databases accessible to more people within a construction firm all will become more commonly used as well.

In short, Millennials will solidify and finalize the construction industry’s move away from old paper-based methods and create more employee access to critical project information. This stems in part from our need for instant access to data and our belief in transparency within companies.

These changes will result in more efficient projects as well.

02

Selgas Cano Architecture Office Madrid Photo Credits: iwan.com

02 / LET’S COLLABORATE Millennials enjoy working in groups, and the look of the modern office is changing accordingly. Across the country, offices feature less personal space and more shared space designed to encourage interaction and collaboration among employees.

This trend will come to full fruition in the construction industry in the years to come. Collaborative spaces don’t have to be as flashy as those in the offices of Google – the firm features a bowling alley in one office and a pub-style lounge in another – but with some comfortable furniture, pleasant décor and access to food and drink, a construction firm can create an area in which its employees will engage and, in the process, fire up their creative and problem-solving juices together.

As another result of our emphasis on collaboration, expect the integrated project delivery method – in which all stakeholders become involved in the project early on – to become even more widespread, and the traditional design-bid-build model to be used less frequently.

On a related note, my generation places a lot of value on mentors. Perhaps it’s a consequence of growing up with active parents, but we enjoy working with adults older than ourselves, and construction firms should strongly consider even formally assigning mentor-protégé relationships to transfer the wisdom and accumulated knowledge from one generation to the next.

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"A construction firm can create an area in which its employees will engage and, in the process, fire up their creative and problem-solving juices together."

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Selgas Cano Architecture Office - Madrid, Photo Credits: iwan.com

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03 / A LIFE OUTSIDE THE OFFICE To be blunt, Millennials don’t want to be in the office 10 to 12 hours a day, unlike those in preceding generations.

However, this doesn’t mean that we don’t work hard; we just like to do a good chunk of that work remotely, either in a coffee shop or while we’re at home, watching the kids. Construction firms should embrace this by letting managers and engineers work remotely when possible and investing in whatever technology is necessary for them to do so.

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04 / KEEPING ‘EM AROUND Just as Millennials can get antsy when forced to be in the office for too long, we are prone to job hopping as well. It’s probably in part because of our insistence on instant gratification, but when we feel stymied with a particular company, we look for other pastures almost immediately.

Construction firms and other industries can fight this to some extent by providing not only the traditional incentives for good performance – promotions, pay raises, better benefits, etc. – but also meaningful opportunities to evaluate the way the firms operate and come up with proposals for improved efficiencies. Few things are more depressing for us to hear than “We do it this way because we’ve done it this way for the last 20 years.”

TO BORROW AN OLD SAYING, THE FUTURE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WON’T BE YOUR FATHER’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. IT WILL, HOWEVER, BE A STRONG, WELL-PERFORMING ONE, IN WHICH TECHNOLOGY AND COLLABORATIVE PROBLEMSOLVING ARE IN ABUNDANCE AND IN WHICH SOME OF THE BEST WORK IDEAS ARE HATCHED OUTSIDE THE OFFICE. The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards

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WOULD QUOTAS BRING MORE WOMEN INTO ENGINEERING?

By EDD GENT, The Institution of Engineering and Technology’s E&T Magazine

WITH THE PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING STILL HOVERING BELOW 10 PER CENT AFTER DECADES OF ADVOCACY, IS IT TIME TO TRY MORE DRASTIC MEASURES?

O

ne of the most memorable statements attributed to Albert Einstein is the oftquoted “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

This is how the IET’s first female president, Naomi Climer, describes the engineering industry’s approach to tackling the glaring gender disparity in its workforce.“I have been an engineer for 30 years and when I joined I just assumed the percentage of women in engineering would naturally grow over time and the problem would fix itself organically,” she says.

“The reality is that 30 years later it’s barely shifted.”

The IET’s 2015 skills survey shows that the proportion of women in the industry climbed from 7 to 9 per cent in the UK since last year.

But the surveyors say the result is not statistically significant: since the IET began measuring it in 2007 the figure has fluctuated between 5 and 9 per cent without showing any concrete upwards trajectory.

Engineering is not the only industry suffering from a lack of women; the problem is mirrored in the majority of STEM (science, engineering, technology and manufacturing) disciplines. The WISE (Women into Science and Engineering) Campaign set up in 1984 has seen progress in areas like medicine, but its research shows that in more than a quarter of a century the proportion of female professional engineers

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has risen from 3 to just over 8 per cent.

Faced with such glacial change, in her first full week as IET President, Naomi Climer suggested it may be time to adopt a more radical approach. “Despite the best efforts, there has been little progress in attracting more women into engineering over the past few decades so I feel that the time is right to force action through the use of quotas,” she said in a statement on 6 October 2015.

The solution is a controversial one, but it is increasingly being employed by European countries to boost the number of women in boardrooms. The EU is currently negotiating a directive that would impose a mandatory 40 per cent quota for non-executive directors by 2020 (2018 for public undertakings) which would apply to roughly 5,000 companies across the bloc, though not SMEs. Speaking to E&T several weeks after her initial comments, Climer has softened her stance. “Quotas are really a last resort,” she says.

“They’re incredibly unpopular with everybody; even the people who benefit don’t really like them.

They’re very divisive, so we have to explore every other avenue before we start using them.” But, she adds, time is running out for alternative approaches. “I’d like people to understand that if we don’t shift people soon we will have to do something more drastic.”

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QUOTAS IN PRACTICE The poster child for this approach is Norway, which in 2003 imposed a 40 per cent quota on boards of listed companies. Failure to comply by 2008 theoretically could have led to a company being delisted, though none ever were.

Opposition was vocal, with many claiming the system was antimeritocratic and would result in under-qualified appointments, and some companies voluntarily delisted to avoid the requirement.

But it achieved its target in 2009 and even former detractors have softened their stance, with the policy generally considered a success.

The directive being discussed by the EU takes a softer line. It would use a ‘procedural’ approach whereby companies faced with equally qualified candidates must prioritise those from the underrepresented sex, though sanctions will be left up to member states.

Another approach is the one taken by some political parties, to have quotas for candidate shortlists.

So far, the focus has been at board level, working on the assumption that a critical mass of women at the top of companies will have a knockon effect on future recruitment, while showing women there is a place for them at the top table.

But in Norway, most appointments have been to non-executive positions,which are involved in policy decisions but not day-today operations. A 2012 report by

public relations firm Burson-Marsteller on companies listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange found only 8 per cent of board chairs were female, while women made up just 4 per cent of chief executives and 12 per cent of chief financial officers.

evidence for the phenomenon, showing the number of female board directors at a Fortune 500 company in 2001 had a clear positive correlation to the percentage of female corporate officers at the same firm in 2006.

A 2014 analysis led by University of Chicago economics professor Marianne Bertrand showed fears of underqualified appointees were unfounded. New female board members were observably more qualified than male predecessors, suggesting the policy helped break up anti-meritocratic ‘old boys’ networks. But despite the gender pay gap narrowing within boards, the study found little evidence of trickledown. There was no statistically significant change in pay gaps or female representation in top positions, though Bertrand admits it may be too early to see the knock-on effect.

Regardless of whether they are effective though, quotas have little support in the UK. Rolls-Royce, Jaguar Land Rover, Siemens and Arup all failed to respond to a request for comment on the prospect of their introduction, while Network Rail and Airbus both affirmed a commitment to voluntary action without directly commenting on Climer’s suggestion. “We have no quotas for the recruitment of women but targets – no positive discrimination,” an Airbus Group spokeswoman said. “Airbus Group’s recruitment decisions are made solely on the basis of people’s qualifications and abilities, giving equal chances to all, and the recruitment driver has always been skills and competences.” The Government

A 2008 study by Catalyst, a body promoting more inclusive workplaces, did find

Equalities Office also failed to respond.

EEF, the manufacturing organisation, which represents a host of engineering and manufacturing employers, is clear in its opposition. Senior employment and skills policy adviser Verity O’Keefe says, “Quotas, or a forced solution, are not the answer. Women want to be promoted based on merit, not because of a quota.

The focus should be on encouragement not enforcement.”

This year’s WISE Campaign annual conference opens on the 40th anniversary of the Sex Discrimination Act, and campaign director Helen Woolaston says the fact we are still discussing this issue shows that enforcement alone cannot solve the problem. “When you impose legislation I think people find ways round it,” she says. “That’s why the legislation around sex discrimination hasn’t created gender equality.”

“A lot of people don’t understand the difference between a gender pay gap and unequal pay, and companies can be unfairly targeted”

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she says. “That is where there needs to be a really big push in order to get enough women for employers to recruit.”

Approaches such as ensuring STEMrelated school and outreach programmes are attended by 50 per cent girls could help, she says, as would linking funds for STEM and infrastructure projects and apprenticeships to diversity. “Incentives are important. People follow the money.”

Responsibility for policy is currently spread across government departments, Woolaston says, with no one responsible for oversight or coordination. The scene is further crowded by a host of professional bodies, non-profits and initiatives such as the Your Life campaign, Tomorrow’s Engineers Week and National Women in Engineering Day. “A lot of them are doing fantastic work, but in a lot of ways they are competing with each other,” says EEF’s O’Keefe. “You really need to have a one-stop shop. There are so many organisations and activities going on that a lot of the time our members don’t know which one to engage with.”

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? Following a landmark review by Lord Davies in 2011, the UK government pressed FTSE 100 companies to meet a voluntary target of 25 per cent female representation on boards by the end of 2015. The target was met earlier this year, more than doubling from 12.5 per cent in 2011 to 26.1 per cent, with no more allmale boards on the FTSE 100. In his final report published at the end of October, Davies suggested a new target of all FTSE 350 boards having 33 per cent female representation by 2020 while reaffirming a commitment to a voluntary approach.

Despite the target being reached though, more than 90 per cent of women on FTSE 100 boards are in non-executive roles, and campaigners have voiced disappointment that the final report did not set a specific target for getting women into executive jobs.

Climer says she would like to try this kind of voluntary approach in engineering before going down the route of quotas, but the issue is getting companies to sign up.

“57 per cent of engineering companies don’t have any kind of diversity initiative in place,” she says. “The IET suggests companies should just set themselves a target. It doesn’t have to be mandatory, you don’t have to hit it, just declare one.

It’s just helpful setting a goal so you’re working towards something.”

Last September the WISE Campaign unveiled its Ten Steps guidelines in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering, to help STEM companies boost female representation. The first step urges organisations to set targets for women at senior, board and technical roles, as well as collecting data on their progress. Climer would like to go a 32

step further and require major firms to publish these statistics, as well as make unconscious bias training standard for hiring managers. “I genuinely believe many companies would like to do something about this issue,” she says. “I think this would force them to look a bit harder at what they are doing.”

In July, the Government said it would develop regulations requiring companies with more than 250 employees to publish pay gap data. Last month the proposals were extended to the public sector, while larger employers were told they will have to publish bonus gap data too.

O’Keefe agrees that major firms need to be reporting this data, but warns that the issue is complicated for engineering companies because there are more men in higher-paid technical roles than women. “A lot of people don’t understand the difference between a gender pay gap and unequal pay, and companies can be unfairly targeted,” she says.

A LEAKY PIPELINE While setting targets is a good first step, the WISE Campaign’s Woolaston points out that engineering companies struggle to find female candidates in the first place. “It’s all very well imposing quotas or targets on employers, but if there are not enough women qualified, that in itself won’t solve the problem,” she says.

Fixing the ‘leaky pipeline’ of girls who drop STEM subjects requires a holistic strategy that looks beyond employers, says Woolaston, who would like to see the government back and monitor a national 30 per cent target for engaging women in STEM. “I think targets should be at the outreach level and school level,”

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With so many groups sharing responsibility for the problem, it can become easy to pass the buck. “This really feels like the crux of the problem: it isn’t anyone’s responsibility and it needs a collective effort to fix it. Hardly surprising that it hasn’t been cracked yet,” says Climer. Everyone from parents to teachers, to higher education, to employers needs to pull together, she says, and the government needs to provide the incentives so that each plays their part.

This month the IET and the Prospect trade union will release recommendations for STEM employers on how to recruit, promote and retain women. It will include advice on combatting unconscious bias, monitoring recruitment diversity and supporting women returning to work. It will also call for the establishment of an all-party parliamentary group on women working in STEM. But after 30 years of inaction Climer feels the clock is ticking.

“I don’t want to be sitting here in another decade wondering why nothing has changed.”

INTERESTED IN NOMINATING FOR 2017 THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS?

www.wiceawards.com

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GEN Y: THE NEW FACE OF CONSTRUCTION

By ANDREW “ANDY” PATRON, FMI senior consultant PHILIP E. WARNER, FMI research consultant

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rom the field to the boardroom, the construction industry has a deepening labor shortage at every level.

This is due in part to the Baby Boomer retirement wave, which presents both a challenge to the industry and an opportunity for all those Generation Y folks entering the workforce.

Now, construction jobs are not for everybody. They require brains, skill and the ability to use tools to shape or manipulate work. They also demand a certain internal toughness and a hands-on sensibility.

Enter Generation Y (roughly, those born between the early 1980s and early 2000s), which is not only needed to fill the ranks, but to lead the industry into its next iteration.

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GENERATION Y BORN BETWEEN THE EARLY 1980S AND EARLY 2000S

BABY BOOMERS BORN BETWEEN 1946 AND 1964

GETTING CONNECTED Gen Y needs jobs. Happily, according to many reports, this generation also has the right characteristics to revive old industries like construction and make them a more attractive career destination.

One concern expressed by construction executives regards lack of communication by the office, the field and other project parties.

Millennials, the "always connected" generation, should be able to solve that problem in a heartbeat.

So steeped are millennials in technology and social media that they treat their gadgets almost like body parts, the Pew Research Center reports ("Millennials: A Portrait of Generation Next").

More than eight in 10 say they sleep with a cell phone glowing by the bed, poised to disgorge texts, calls, emails, songs, news, videos, games and wake-up jingles.

COLLEGE ALTERNATIVES Meanwhile, construction may help many who need direction find their way to new career paths.

Indeed, a huge plus for our industry is that there are entry points for every education or skill level, and there are few barriers to entry. Here, college becomes an option, not an expectation.

Many college graduates today are feeling disappointed, and rightfully so. They worked hard to get in to a school, invested years to earn a degree, piled up debt to pay for it, and expected to find recruiters waiting for them after graduation. A college education was supposed to be the next step to success in life.

Instead, they found themselves alone, competing for a limited number of lesser jobs within a stagnant economy.

Now, a college degree can certainly enhance career choices. The more education and training an applicant has, the more opportunities are available.

GETTING STARTED But with a few exceptions (structural engineering, for instance), a college degree is not necessarily a prerequisite for construction. Entry-level employees can start earning a wage while learning the ropes and working toward a career.

In fact, it is more accurate to think of construction as an industry that is open to many different skills and backgrounds, not a single career choice.

This approach works especially well in the growing number of construction firms that have instituted careerpath training programs. It could also be an integral part of a company’s succession planning.

MENTORING MANAGERS Construction executives can connect with millennials through project management training programs and mentoring opportunities like the ACE Mentor Program.

That program is a partnership between businesses and all types of construction professionals who volunteer their time and facilities to introduce young people to construction careers.

ACE mentors have been successful in showing young people the wealth of opportunities available in the industry and the right path to get there.

Many Boomers started their companies back in the day when college was not as common as it is now.

They grew up with their businesses, and they need good people to succeed them and keep the companies growing.

AFTER THE BOOM Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) are now beginning to retire in record numbers. And, as of now, there are not enough members of Gen X (the generation sandwiched between the Boomers and Gen Y) to take their place.

That will give Generation Y an opportunity to step in and take over sooner than you might think.

have gotten little press because the economy has been in the tank and much of construction has been in survival mode.

Now that we climbing out of the recession, the industry is growing again. And there are careers to be had at entry points that dovetail beautifully with the expectations and goals of Generation Y, regardless of education or skill level.

The opportunity for rapid advancement is very real, driven by the demographics of our aging workforce. These opportunities

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THE JUDGES 36

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ALASTAIR SMYTH

ANN MARIE AGUILAR

CHRIS SEXTON

CLARE SAN MARTIN

UK Head of Civil and Structural Engineering Capita Property and Infrastructure

Technical Director Crossrail

Associate Director Arup Associates

Partner, John Thompson & Partners

BARBARA GOFFIOUL

BRIAN ECKERSLEY

BRIDGET BARTLETT

CARA MOORE

​CLARE WILDFIRE

CRISTINA LANZ-AZCARATE

London and South East Chair NAWIC UK

DAWN ELSON Group Engineering Director Merlin Entertainments Group

DEBORAH ROWLAND

Dr CAROL MARSH

Dr DAVID HANCOCK

Dr DEBORAH PULLEN

Dr LOUISE BROOKE-SMITH

EMMA CLANCY

EMMA NICHOLSON

FRANK HUIDOBRO Managing Director TPS Consult

GREG YOUNG

GUY THOMPSON

HELEN BARROW

HELEN GOUGH

Operations Support Manager Western Europe PM Group

Technical Director Mott MacDonald Fulcrum

Head of Construction Cabinet Office

Director Eckersley O’Callaghan

Group Research Director BRE

CEO LeaderShape

Deputy Chief Executive The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

Director Brooke Smith Planning Consultants Ltd

Head of Architecture, Housing & Sustainability The Concrete Centre

Personal Executive Coach Cara Moore - Coaching for Success

MSc, FRICS, CBIFM Director of Facilities Management UK Ministry of Justice

CEO Certsure

Director Ernst & Young LLP

Int Electronics Design Process Lead, Selex ES Former President of Women's Engineering Society

Founding Director Women in Sustainable Construction and Property

Lead Director - Buildings & Construction JLL

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THE JUDGES

MARTA DE SOUSA

MARTIN KNIGHTS

PAULA CHANDLER

PETER JACOBS

SEAN TOMPKINS

STEPHEN WHITE

Property Expert LUX Reality

Design Manager /BIM Champion BOUYGUES UK

Chief Executive RICS

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FREng SVP & MD of Tunnels & Earth Engineering, CH2M

MD Construction & Integrated Solutions Wilson James

Health and Safety Director Hochtief (UK)

JANET BELLAMY

KATH FONTANA

KATH MOORE

MARIA WILLIS

MARK JAGGARD

MARY ANNE ROFF Partner Eversheds

MICHELLE McDOWELL Director & Chair of Civil & Structural Engineering BDP

MIKE GRICE

NEIL MARTIN

NEIL PENNELL

RACHEL COOK

RACHEL OLDHAM

RICHARD ELLIOTT

RICHARD THRELFALL

RINA GOLDENBERG LYNCH

Head of Construction British Land

Partner, UK Head, Infrastructure, Founder Building & Construction & Managing Director Global Head, Public Transport, Voice At The Table KPMG

SUE SLJIVIC

SYLVIA CHURBA

TEDROY NEWELL Associate 2degrees

VICTORIA PECKETT

VIRGINIE COLAIUTA

Consultant Lawyer Land Rights Researcher

Associate Director (Energy) Atkins

Director RSK Environment Limited

Managing Director ISS Technical Services Chair RICS Professional Group for Facilities Management

Partner Gardiner & Theobald

Director, London Bridge Station Redevelopment Churba Engineering Ltd

Managing Director Women into Construction CIC

Construction Director Battersea Power Station

The Construction Coach

MD, Construction – Europe Lend Lease

Partner, Head of Construction CMS Cameron McKenna

Health & Safety Director Bouygues

Head of Engineering and Design Land Securities

Partner Pinsent Masons LLP

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THE JUDGING PROCESS THE JUDGES A group of 49 senior executives from various industries were carefully selected as an evaluation panel of independent judges. Their objective was to review the nominations and interview each of the finalists.

WHY AN INTERVIEW WITH THE JUDGES? A face-to-face interview allows the judges to further assess each finalist’s skills, strategies and process etc. The interview also complements their review of the submitted nomination forms.

THE JUDGING DAY The judges were organised into 16 groups; each group was made up of 3 judges and interviewed a number of finalists within their assigned categories. Nomination forms and any supporting documents were reviewed by the judges prior to a nominee being selected as a finalist.

Each nomination was evaluated and scored out of a total of 5 points.

The next stage of the process was a face to face interview with the judges.

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THE FINALISTS TIME WITH THE JUDGES This was an opportunity for the finalists to engage the judges by telling them the story of their success. Each judge awarded points across the same criteria. After the interview, all finalists answered one final question: “why they should win the award in their category?” All the judges scored each finalist on the final question. Each finalist’s overall score was the sum of the scores from the interview with the 3 judges in their category plus the scores from all judges on the final question.

The finalist with the highest score in each category was selected as the winner in that category.

THE MOST DISTINGUISHED WINNER OF 2016 This award is for the finalist who impressed the judges the most and scored the highest among all the finalists.

FAQs WHO ARE THE JUDGES? WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? Zars Media invites judges from countries all over Europe. Judges may be executives with social innovation expertise, business people, educators and university administrators and leading practitioners in the field.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE JUDGES? We usually look for executives with backgrounds relevant to the event and with more than 15 years’ experience. We actively recruit and also take suggestions from partners, mentors and past judges.

WHAT DO THE JUDGES EVALUATE? Judges will review all the entries within their assigned categories and give their scores as per the guidelines. This will include reviewing the nomination forms and any confidential supplemental documents and project information that is included in the application.

IS THE JUDGING BY INVITATION ONLY, OR CAN I APPLY TO BE A JUDGE? We recruit judges after screening their profiles using LinkedIn and other news sources. We are happy to consider suggestions. If you'd like to be considered, or suggest future judges, please email judges@wiceawards.com

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THE JUDGING DAY: A JUDGES' PERSPECTIVE

By RACHEL OLDHAM

THE WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING (WICE) AWARDS WERE HELD AT THE WALDORF HILTON HOTEL LAST WEEK WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM ACROSS THE PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION WORLD TURNING OUT IN FORCE TO JUDGE FINALISTS FROM 25 CATEGORIES ACROSS THE INDUSTRY. G&T PARTNER, RACHEL OLDHAM, WAS PART OF A PANEL OF THREE JUDGES FOR BEST FEMALE CONTRACTOR WHERE ENTRIES WERE AWARDED MARKS ACROSS A NUMBER OF CATEGORIES. READ ON TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE EVENT AND GET AN INSIGHT INTO THE LIFE OF A WOMAN IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY….

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THE NIGHT BEFORE The evening before the judging day all of the judges were brought together for networking and dinner. It was a really enjoyable evening and a great opportunity to share views and network with leaders of the industry. Topics of conversation included the state of the industry today and improvements to diversity in construction over the judges’ working lives, as well as the trading of many stories and anecdotes of the judges’ own experiences as women in the construction industry. Thankfully, mostly from the distant past! Last minute tips from previous judges were also welcomed.

THE DAY BREAKFAST AND ARRIVAL The judging day itself had a packed agenda and prompt 8am start. After getting an early night following the judges’ dinner there was just enough time in the morning for some last minute reviewing of the judges’ handbook, while getting my morning caffeine hit before the journey into London.

The judging day started with a networking breakfast attended by all the judges, speakers and finalists – there were lots of nervous faces around as the finalists contemplated the day ahead. I think the finalists were feeling the pressure of presenting to a panel of three judges followed by a 20 min Q&A session, so the breakfast was a good opportunity to put the finalists at ease and to reinforce their achievement in being there.

THE JUDGING It was my first time judging on an awards panel and I was a little apprehensive about what to expect as we sat down for the first round of judging, only to be told that our first finalist was unable to attend. While there was initial disappointment, as we were all keen to get started, we didn’t have to wait too long until the first round of ‘soapbox’ moments. This was where each finalist took it in turn to stand up and present why they should win their category, which was then scored by all the judges.

The soapbox moments were an unexpected highlight of the day. The finalists’ personalities really came across and it was uplifting to hear about so many initiatives to increase the number of women in construction. It was inspiring to see so much enthusiasm, passion and creativity.

The remainder of the judging went without a hitch and with the winner still under wraps, I can’t say too much, but we heard five impressive, if quite different, presentations from our finalists. Having already reviewed the written submissions, it was great to hear the finalists talking about their experiences in their own words. Scores were awarded across a number of categories – involvement and commitment to the industry, career and education, team work and leadership skills, knowledge of workplace health and safety issues, customer relations and other pursuits, hobbies and extracurricular activities.

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The finalists’ personalities really came across and it was uplifting to hear about so many initiatives to increase the number of women in construction.

I was genuinely impressed with the high calibre of finalists, the professionalism of the presentations and reflective thought in the Q&A sessions which made scoring very difficult. There was such diversity in the candidates, from their backgrounds, routes in to the industry, stages in their careers and even different countries of workplace. It was no easy task to relatively grade their achievements, a sentiment that was shared across our judging panel.

This makes me just as keen as the finalists to learn who has scored most highly in the average scores!

LUNCHTIME Lunch offered a great chance to speak to finalists from a number of different disciplines and a common comment amongst them was how much they had enjoyed the opportunity to reflect on their careers and achievements to date, while putting together their presentations. I spoke to finalists that had been instrumental in setting up women’s networks, pushing forward the sustainability agenda, implementing mentoring programmes and challenging mentalities and ways of working and it was great to see them exchanging ideas and making contacts, alongside a lot of lively debate.

THE RESULTS Each judge scored independently without any consultation so the winner of each category has not yet been revealed. The winners will be announced at the awards dinner on 19th May – I will be on my hen do so will be keeping a close eye on twitter to see who is awarded Best Female Contractor on the night!

THE PEOPLE THE FINALISTS As well as presenting to the judging panels, the finalists had a full agenda of talks, panel discussions and debates led by experts in construction and engineering, covering topics from the importance of social media in modern day working to mentoring and building resilience.

THE JUDGES Judges included Directors and Partners from companies and professional bodies across construction and engineering, with nearly 50 judges attending to score across more than 25 categories. There was a real buzz in the judging room for the whole day. We were well looked after with lots of tea and coffee and even afternoon tea to keep energy levels up, necessary to ensure we gave each finalist the same attention across the total six hours of judging!

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THE SPEAKERS ALEKSANDRA (SASHA) NJAGULJ

CASEY D RUTLAND

HEATHER BEACH

KATE MORRIS

KRIS HARRISON

LEE HIBBERT

Head of Sustainability & Innovation Construction - London Bouygues UK

Director - Strategic Planning & Advisory, Transportation, EMIA, Aecom

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Associate Director Arup Associates

Head of Lean Engineering & Design Finmeccanica

Director - Safety & Health Expo, Facilities Show, SHP and Barbour EHS UBM plc

Content Director Technical Associates Group

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LIZI STEWART

Client Development Director, Infrastructure, Arcadis

MARIA ANTONIOU

PAUL WILKINSON

PHILIPPA OLDHAM

RAND WATKINS

SHARRON CLOW

SUSIE DIAMOND

TIM FITCH

VINITA MARWAHA MADILL

Managing Director Prothos

Director of HR & Legacy Legacy Strategies

Director pwcom.co.uk

Founding Partner Inkling LLP

Head of Transport and Manufacturing Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Director Invennt

Lead Project Engineer & Lead Tunnel Engineer Transport for London

Space Engineering & STEM Outreach Consultant, Rocket Women

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WOMEN LEADERS IN CONSTRUCTION: THE STICKY FLOOR

By SHIRLEY RAMOS, Executive and Sales Coaching, Talent and Leadership Development, Gender Strategist and Thought Leadership

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"E

xperts have pointed to the lack of women at all levels of the construction industry as one of the main factors contributing to the ongoing labor shortage," reports Construction Dive Magazine. In 2014, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 9.8 million people working in the construction industry. Of these, just 872,000 of them (or 8.9 percent), were women. Couple this with research supporting that a higher ratio of women at executive leadership positions in organizations correlates directly with increased success and productivity, and you have a pretty good justification for purposefully recruiting and retaining women in construction.

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However, the problem goes beyond just recruiting and retaining women into construction careers. Of the women who are already in the industry, the representation at leadership levels is vastly under served. This isn’t just a simple gender issue or matter of discrimination in a maledominated business environment.

The complexity originates in the different worldviews for both men and women. In the article Women in Construction: The Sticky Floor, the Stickier Ladder and the Glass Ceiling, I socialize these three phenomena and discuss how they impact the identification and leadership paths of women leaders.

This post dives deeper into the first phenomenon – the “sticky floor”:

THE STICKY FLOOR The Sticky Floor has been described as women’s career blocks, corporate barriers to women’s promotion, and other middle-management bottlenecks that keep women—fully capable of leadership—stuck near the bottom half of the ladder, or unwilling/unable to climb the ladder at all. Although there continues to be a real underlying bias that keeps women from securing leadership positions, there are assumptions, actions and ‘limiting beliefs’ that women themselves experience that inhibit them from taking action and putting that first foot on the ladder, including: WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY DON'T PROMOTE THEMSELVES. It is difficult to blow your own horn, but when there is a culture where women are still proving themselves as capable, showcasing and communicating our abilities becomes essential. The ability to capture and articulate the different job types, examples of successful leadership and knowledge of areas – such as skilled crafts and safety – is imperative to building the credibility for construction leadership.

WOMEN DON’T ALWAYS ASK FOR WHAT THEY WANT. When making requests, women have a tendency to be humble and indirect.

A woman may accept a lower position or less pay, for example, thinking that when she “proves herself,” the organization will promote her or pay her at the level she originally wanted. In addition, women may equate negotiation with “confrontation,” not wanting to seem too assertive or demanding. The reality is that often get what they ‘ask for’, rather than what they actually wanted.

WOMEN ASSUME THAT THEIR GENDER IS A PROBLEM FOR THE COMPANY. Women who are building a family or who already have children assume that their roles as wives and mothers are a barrier to leadership positions. One seasoned superintendent who has small children, for example, openly shared that she self-selected to apply for classes offered by her employer, knowing they would never choose her because they knew she had young children. When I inquired what was said or what behaviors she observed that made her feel it was an issue, her answer was a vague “...because that's the way it is.”

In the midst of these perceived barriers that keep women from taking the classes or applying for positions that move them toward construction leadership opportunities, there are tangible barriers that keep them tethered to labor, skilled or traditional support positions. They are: • Lack of a strong industry network. The small representation of women in this highly male dominated industry, and the fact that the majority of decision makers and “champions” whoserve as connections are also male, can limit women’s ability to effectively network and build the relationships required to establish the credibility and recognition that propels a resume to the top of the pile.

• Hard-wired lingering gender bias. Carol Frohlinger, the founder of Negotiating Women, Inc., says that old, hard-wired systems of gender discrimination are still in place. In fact, she says that's what is keeping women from aspiring for leadership. Still seeing women as the primary family care-taker, baby-boomer aged executives may not seriously consider a woman for a project manager role, assuming that she wouldn't be available to the project, at an expected level, due to other responsibilities or commitments. At the very least, women will look less attractive than men for such a demanding position.

Rebecca Shambaugh, author of "It's Not A Glass Ceiling, It's a Sticky Floor: Free Yourself From the Hidden Behaviors Sabotaging Your Career Success" (McGraw-Hill, 2007) would contend that women wanting to free themselves from the sticky floor need to ‘start mopping.” Her advice is to:

• Balance career and life. Not so that you can prove it to your employer, but to avoid burnout and be the best that you can be both at work and at home.

•

Embrace the “good enough.”

We need to distinguish between excellence and perfection. If we work from a place of excellence, we are willing to take risks and learn from our mistakes. Perfection hinders the ability to move up the ladder.

• Make the break. Consider how/ if your current job will help groom you in the direction you want to move. Ask yourself, "How long do I need to stay at one place to be a value to my team and boss?" The sticky floor is about taking control of your own destiny according to Shambaugh. "It's saying, ‘This is what I want from my career and here is how I am going to get it,’ as opposed to just waiting around for your hard work to be recognized."

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THE STATE OF ENGINEERING KEY FACTS 2016

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The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

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Engineering Engineeringdrives drivesproductivity productivity We Weneed needmore moreyoung youngpeople people studying studyingSTEM STEMsubjects subjects That’s Engineering generated Engineering generated £455.6 £455.6billion billion UK UK GDP GDP GDP for the UK GDP for the UK

That’s 27.1% 27.1% ofofthe the total total UK UKGDP GDP

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Engineering Engineeringisis68% 68%more more productive than retail productive than retail Employment has Employment has Engineering supports Engineering supports grown by 1.8% to grown by 1.8% to 14.5 14.5million millionjobs – jobs – over 5.5 over 5.5million million 55% of UK employment 55% of UK employment The Thenumber of number of registered engineering registered engineering enterprises grew enterprises grew by by5.6% in the 5.6% in the UK to 608,920 UK to 608,920

Every time a Every time anew new job is created in job is created in engineering, two engineering, two more morejobs are jobs are created elsewhere created elsewhere

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33 people will achieve engineering-related advanced apprenticeships

But there is more to do...

2 5

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Great prospects The average graduate starting salary for engineering and technology is £27,079 – over a fifth more than for all graduates

Nearly two thirds of employed engineering and technology graduates work for an engineering and technology employer

Just one in fifty go into the financial and insurance sector

Great prospects The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards

The average graduate starting

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RECOVERING THE LOST GENERATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY’S FUTURE

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The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

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By ANDREW “ANDY” PATRON, FMI senior consultant PHILIP E. WARNER, FMI research consultant www.fminet.com

f the Jeopardy subject was “The Lost Generation” and the $2,000 clue was “The Solution,” the answer would be “What is a career in construction?” The lost generation, in this case, is a cohort of young people who have recently entered the workforce or are about to. They represent a record number of 18- to-34-year-olds who have graduated with degrees ranging from two-year associates to advanced degrees but have virtually no career options in their chosen eld of study. By many accounts, their employment future does not look promising. Till von Wachter, an associate professor of economics at Columbia University, testi ed before the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress in May of 2010 on the subject. His testimony was titled, “Avoiding a Lost Generation: How to Minimize the Impact of the Great Recession on Young Workers.” His thesis stated that “the consequences from entering the labor market in a recession [or just after one] are severe in both the short and the long run.” He goes on to say that, “young workers – who enter with no prior employment history and are presumably most exible – can suffer from initial bad luck for a long period of time.” The fact that all of these new workers are entering the labor market during a large recessionary period is bad luck, but the bleak long-term outlook for this cohort is something that we are not accustomed to hearing. It seems un-American.

Von Wachter calls the process “cyclical downgrading” and suggests that it “can lead to reduced earnings for up to 1015 years.” Ouch! The recession supposedly ended in 2009, but it might not feel like it for the workers entering the workforce today. Von Wachter provides the gloomy justi cation: “The decline in earnings arises because young workers entering the labor market in a recession take jobs at worse employers than they otherwise would have.” He submits that workers entering the workforce today will continue to be unemployed and underemployed as they begin to establish relationships, buy homes and start families. Young recruits nding jobs before the recession could recover by getting promoted or nding better jobs as opportunities open up. Their starting point was higher on the socioeconomic ladder. For many of today’s new employees, a full recovery may never happen, especially for people with only a couple of years of college but no de- gree. It is hard to argue with the logic. Coming out of a multiyear recession, this analysis does not bode well for a signi cant number of Generation Y. Will a signi cant portion of this generation be known as the Lost Generation?

It does not need to play out this way. There is a solution, but it will press up against the conventional thinking. What about a career in construction?

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THE ARGUMENT FOR COLLEGE (LATER... OR NOW)

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any college graduates today are feeling disappointed and rightfully so. After all, they worked hard to get into college, invested four to five years to earn a degree, accumulated a pile of debt to pay for it, and expected to have recruiters lined up to hire them.

Instead, they found themselves alone, competing for a limited number of lesser jobs within a

Many in the industry, aware of a coming shortage of talent and skilled workers, have begun to realize that, not only will they need more people from Gen Y to consider the construction field, but alas this generation may play an important role in changing the construction industry’s reputation. stagnant economy – bad luck indeed. This generation and their parents had the expectation that a college education was the next step to success in life. It is becoming harder to believe, especially when the college graduate is still living in the parents’ guest room. It is still true that during their lifetime, Gen Y’s with college degrees have greater earning potential than their non-college-degree peers.

Historically, the investment of resources and time needed to complete a degree has always seemed to be economically worth it, until now. The Great Recession has moved the starting line and shifted the paradigm. According to von Wachter, although it is true that “lower-educated workers experience larger increases in unemployment than more educated labor market entrants...in the long run, less educated individuals tend to recover faster.” Of course they do; the “less educated” are not saddled with college debt, and while their peers are getting degrees, the “less educated” are getting jobs and 56

earning income, even if the job is with a “worse employer.” The key takeaway is that everyone in the “lost generation” is starting out at a de cit in some way, but the recovery begins as soon as members of this generation start to earn money.

A college degree still provides the better long-term return on investment, but it puts the new entrant in the ranks of the employed behind in the short term. In fact, von Wachter suggests that the most “unlucky” group might be the “workers in the middle of the education distribution [those with some college but not a degree] who can suffer close to permanent earnings consequences from entering the labor market in a recession; those individuals at the bottom and the top of the education distribution recover more quickly from that bad initial start.” This makes sense given that the high school graduates are starting to work sooner, and the college graduates have degrees to leverage. The “partial college” folks have competition from both sides and loans to pay. No one can argue with the logic of this conventional mind-set, but the solution is unconventional: a job in the construction industry.

The reason considering a career in construction seems unconventional, especially to Generation Y, also known as Millennials, is that construction has a reputation for being a dirty, dangerous, cyclical, low-tech, deadend, low-paying job. The reputation is not entirely undeserved, but it is also outdated. The construction industry has changed and continues to change. Many in the industry, aware of a coming shortage of talent and skilled workers, have begun to realize that, not only will they need more people from Gen Y to consider the construction field, but also this generation may play an important role in changing the construction industry’s reputation.

If the conventional approach to nding a career is to match up one’s interests and skills with the needs of the career, it is unconventional to consider what one can offer to change an industry and make new careers. According to many reports, Gen Y potentially has the right characteristics to revive an old industry like the construction

The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

industry and make it a more attractive career destination. Gen Y’ers also need jobs. According to the PEW Research Center in a recent report titled “MILLENNIALS: A Portrait of Generation Next: Con dent. Connected. Open to Change.” (February 2010, http:// pewresearch. org/millennials/): Despite struggling (and often failing) to nd jobs in the teeth of a recession, about nine-in-ten either say that they currently have enough money or that they will eventually meet their long-term nancial goals.

But at the moment, fully 37% of 18to 29-year-olds are unemployed or out of the workforce, the highest share among this age group in more than three decades.

Although the generation designated Gen Y may be lost in the sense of being careerchallenged at the moment, you can find them on Facebook anytime.

They are referred to as the “always connected” generation. “Steeped in digital technology and social media, they treat their multi-tasking, hand-held gadgets almost like a body part – for better and worse.

More than eight in 10 say they sleep with a cell phone glowing by the bed, poised to disgorge texts, phone calls, emails, songs, news, videos, games and wake-up jingles.” (ibid.) One of the concerns we often hear from construction executives is that there is a lack of communication between the of ce and the field and among others connected with a project.

Generation Y’ers should be able to solve those problems. Construction may not work for the majority of those of this generation, but it may help many who are becoming lost nd their way to new career paths.

Construction has an entry point for any education or skill level, and there are very few barriers to entry. The attractiveness of the construction solution is that college becomes an option not an expectation. A college degree can be used to enhance career choices not limit them. The more education and training an applicant has, the more opportunities are available. In fact, it is more accurate to think of construction as not a single career choice, but as an industry that requires many different skills and backgrounds.

The simple truth facing all education is that the conventional four-year degree and the need to at- tend day classes on a campus to obtain it are evolving into something more exible. Technology is forcing potential students and institutions alike to reconsider when and how to obtain a degree.

Online and distance learning is becoming the new classroom, and there is no reason for anyone to deny himself or herself a college education if he or she really wants one. People no longer need to “go” to college. They can get their degree on their own time using the computer on their kitchen table. Traditional thinking saw college as part of a normal career progression, but demographics and economics are shaping a new paradigm. In construction — with a few exceptions like structural engineer, for instance — a college degree does not need to be a prerequisite step in the process.

This helps entry-level employees start making a wage, while learning the ropes and working toward a career. This approach works especially well in the growing number of construction rms that have instituted career-path training programs. It could also

be an integral part of a company’s succession planning process.

The construction industry has a deepening craft labor shortage due to the baby boomers starting to retire, and that goes for all levels of the company from the field to the boardroom. This presents a challenge to the industry and an opportunity for just about anyone entering the workforce.

The lost generation of this recession is facing a bleak future unless it nds a faster way to recover from the career shock of entering the workforce at a lower pay scale than anticipated. In the construction industry, and maybe uniquely so, education and training are still the road to prosperity in the end. But in the short term, someone needs to build the roads, both in the literal sense and in the gurative sense including creating attractive career paths. It is about getting to work as soon as possible and avoiding being sucked up into a lost generation. In the construction industry, attending college represents a four-year delay into the workforce, and there is no compelling reason to do so.

The opportunity to begin a career sooner rather than later does not need to exclude college later anymore. College can happen in tandem with work. Construction is not what it used to be. The category referred to in the study cited at the beginning of this article, the “worse employer,” really does not apply to the modern construction company.

There are some exciting jobs in the construction industry and lots of opportunities for advancement.

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"Construction employees have to like working with their hands, sometimes in cold or wet environments.

This commitment comes with a real payoff though."

The Associated Builders and Contractors has estimated that there is a gap of 500,000 craft jobs in America today.

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The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

THE ARGUMENT FOR STARTING A CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION

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here is nally some “good luck” for the lost generation. It is there for the taking for anyone willing to commit to a different career choice. The construction industry has a deepening craft labor short-age due to the baby boomers starting to retire, and that goes for all levels of the company from the eld to the boardroom.

This presents a challenge to the industry and an opportunity for just about anyone entering the workforce. The Associated Builders and Contractors has estimated that there is a gap of 500,000 craft jobs in America today, with a very slow pipeline of new recruits to fill them.

These are jobs that need to be filled in order for this country to build and grow. It is not overstating the case to say that this is a critical need.

These jobs are not for everybody, though. They require brains and skill as well as the ability to use tools to shape or manipulate work. They also demand a certain internal toughness and determination.

Construction employees have to like working with their hands, sometimes in cold or wet environments. This commitment comes with a real payoff though. Along with a good paycheck and the knowledge of a skilled trade, construction workers must develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills and leadership.

Construction is a team effort, and team members must learn how to collaborate within the team and with others on the project. These are valuable and necessary skills for any new professional, and you will not nd a more effective training ground than working “in the eld.”

The industry provides a number of training opportunities and methods, including vocational training, OTJ (on-the-job) training, independent

training centers—for example, the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) — or through union af liation and/ or apprenticeship programs (like the Boilermakers). Fieldwork can be very rewarding. In many ways, learning con- struction skills is still as much an art as it is a science.

Admittedly, entry-level work means starting at a lower pay grade, but with improved skills and training, the apprentice can advance quickly to higher-paying positions.

There are trades that boast of sixgure earnings within four years of starting. Contrast that to the four years of college debt recent graduates have accumulated in the same span of time.

Working toward a trade and going to school on one’s own time seems like a win-win proposition for those threatened with becoming a lost generation. In addition, it will help the industry. There are many trades to choose from and many regions to work in. The options in construction are expansive, and young applicants will have many choices to consider. For those who are more business-minded or already have some college credits or a degree in hand, construction is an industry that requires management and many different types of professional services.

Members of the baby boomer generation who are now beginning to retire started their companies back in the day when college was not as accessible as it is today. They learned to run their construction companies like a business, and they need good people to succeed them and keep the companies growing.

The timing could not be better for people coming into the workforce.

Investing in construction-specific education is beneficial, but the industry also needs marketing, accounting, human resources and other professionals. Learning how this business works by being

in the business is also effective.

In addition to the construction management degrees from colleges and universities, there are also project management training programs and mentoring opportunities like the ACE Mentor Program.

The ACE Mentor Program (ACE is an acronym for architecture, construction and engineering) is a partnership between businesses and all types of construction industry professionals, volunteering their time and facilities to introduce construction careers to young people. ACE mentors have been very successful in showing the wealth of opportunities available in the industry and setting young people on the right path to choosing a career in the construction industry.

It is a fact that baby boomers are retiring in record numbers, and, at this time, there are not enough Generation Xers to fill the vacancies. That means the Generation Yers, the lost generation, have an opportunity to step in and take over, sooner than they might expect. The opportunity for rapid advancement is very real and driven by the demographics of our aging population. The reason that these opportunities have gotten little press is that the economy has been in the tank, and a large portion of the construction industry has been in survival mode. Now that we are beginning to climb out of the recession, the industry will begin to grow again. There are careers to be had in the construction industry at entry points that dovetail beautifully with expectations and goals of Generation Y, regardless of individual educational background or skill level. The same societal demographics that seem to be working against the lost generation are working for it in construction.

The Conclusion The recession is supposed to be of cially over, but given the size of the 18- to-34-year-old cohort and the shortage of “real” jobs out there, it may just be the beginning for the lost generation. With- out some creative new ideas, the long-term outlook is bleak; but this generation will only be “lost” if it does not find its way to a new approach. Von Wachter, in his testimony to Congress, went on to state that “to recover...younger workers have to reorient their career goals. As the economy improves, changes in occupation, industry or region will speed the recovery.” In other words, we need to let go of the old ideas about career progression and how a college education ts in and look at the new paradigm this last recession helped us to see. More education is certainly bene cial for long-term prosperity, but college without job prospects does not help young workers recover from the short-term consequences of the recession we just experienced. We need to get them working, earning money and building their own recovery plan. The construction industry provides both long- and shortterm solutions for this potentially “lost generation”, and it needs them to survive. The future of a generation and an industry are at stake.

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THE 2016 FINALISTS

BEST WOMAN AR CHITEC T • Carol Stitchman • Laura James

BE TEC ST WO HNO MA •G layn LOG N AR IST CH e •K irst Price ITE yM

• Marisa Garay • Rachel Bentle y • Raffaella Ros po • Ruth McIntyr e • Victoria Villa núa

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BEST WOMAN CONSULTANT

CAL TRINEER C E EL GI MAINCAL EN O W BESMTECHAN &

• Barbara Lane • Caroline Lassen

The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

• Dawn Anstey • Harriet Kirk

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h oug hen c r i th B zabe s • Eli ohn ily J • Em od Elgo n • Jo arti te M l • Ka uve la Fa o c i •N

BEST WOMAN ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Helen Richardson • Joan Murray

• Lucy Thomas

m Slim or l role Tay ng • Ca lotte o str ar • Ch e Arm nni • Je iven roy ll G cIn • Ji la M me • Pa a Hale oni S ul aa • Pa

uk ayn TY • Rh AN AFE OM S TW H& BES HEALT IN

CTIO N PL ANNIN G

• Katherine Ward

esey • Athena Liv ua • Flor Paniag • Lisa Ingram

• Lyn Clark r • Maria del Ma

• Maria Fowler • Rosie Simon

• Verity Smith

YS BEST WOMAN HIGHWA BEST WOMAN IN

•L o • A uise A rrow nita smith •K Tho ath mas ryn •S W har on F aghorn • Charmaine Morrell •S asan usa ya nB •T • Dimitra Kyrkou r am sin own •Z S • E mily Edwards i oe Mad lvester ams • Rebecca Flint BES IN C T W • Sally Marsden ONS OMA TRU N • Sharon Maynard

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BEST RAIL WOMAN E • Em NGINE ma D icks ER •

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h Abel • Sara

• Athena Livesey • Flor Paniagua

• Lisa Ingram • Lyn Clark

• Maria del Mar • Maria Fowler

• Rosie Simon • Verity Smith

G beca EER • Re AN NGIN WOM AL E BESRTUCTUR ST

ith h Sm nna rds • Ha icha ngham ne R cki • Ja a Bu ann ney a • Jo Dev k uise lez coc • Lo nza Lay z Go nsey • Ly ome

BEST WOMAN BEST WOMAN IN HIGHWAYS

•M • P ichel le B ipp •R a a uth Hale rrett -Ly Mc nch Inty re

B AR EST CH YOU ITE NG CT WO MAN

• Alessan dra Ricco • Alison Waterworth • Elaine Dalgarno • Marin a Serna Torres • Rache l Crawford • Roma ny O'Dell • Selen e Roa Fresno • Zoe Fr ancis

•A a •C r •D n s a eter P n x e l • J ar •A Griffi e n i l • K at n • Caro epha t S • K nd e r i • Clai rley i h • L ich S nor • Elea • M Pao ton u • Roys olao k i • Gail n Papa a n n • Ioa gden nie O ot • Mela blep a Tum n i g e •R AN

BES ENGITNEYEOUNG WOMAN R

BEST MALE M ENTOR

Shim • Chie artley H • Liz Smith c • Lu y nae Thomas • Melo ina Sayers • Rhal Clemencio • Rita Tayfield • Rita

lis o rol n Chi ine ppi No Bro ngto h n wn e H a Sa l e u e gh en b e e R Blan s c u a M dma • Con or Crow ille n e ley • Pet la lle H r er Will Ca um i a m s sag ph • Ric hard W ran rey FE a s l l d M orris • Tom e MA Lane LE • Tony ME O'Donn NTO ell • Tre vor Ho R dgson

THE 2016 FINALISTS

OMAN BEST W T MANAGER C PROJE izu

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WOM UNG CTION O Y T BES ONSTRU IN C

Approximately 200 nominations from all over Europe and as far a field as Canada and Singapore 107 Finalists 15 Mentors nominated 22 Winners The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards

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ALEX PETERS “The award process has really demonstrated how I make a positive difference not only to environmental and sustainability construction risks but also by showcasing the amazing role women play in the construction industry.”

ALESSANDRA RICCO

ALISON CHIPPINGTON

"Being involved within these awards has been a great opportunity and I have met so many inspirational people.

It just shows that if you are passionate and dedicated you can do anything."

“I feel really privileged to have been nominated and taken part in the WICE awards. The day was inspiring, energising and exciting – so much so I completely forgot about the judging process!”

ALISON WATERWORTH

ATHENA LIVESEY 

“I could either watch it happen, or be part of it.”

- Elon Musk

“I found the day very inspiring to see so many women from the same industry in the same room!”

ANITA THOMAS

“The confidence that this process has given me has surpassed my expectations.”

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The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

BELEN MARQUINA SUSIN

“Quoting the words of a woman who has been an inspiration to each and every one of us: “You have to really believe not only in yourself, you have to believe that the world is actually worth your sacrifices.” - Zada Hadid BARBARA LANE

“It has never been clearer to me how important female role models are. I want to drive profound change that alters the status quo.”

CAROL STITCHMAN

CAROLINE BROWN

"Being part of the construction industry is a fantastic and rewarding career for a woman, it is never dull because you will never stop learning something new... ...every day is a school day!"

"The judging day was both challenging and inspiring and in itself had a positive impact on me."

CAROLE SLIMM

“This has been an amazing process to be a part of. The recognition from my peers to nominate me and my colleagues to support me has been such an enormous boost for not only myself, but to my company’s sense of achievement.”

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CAROLINE GRIFFIN

CHARLENE COLAS

“What a brilliant experience!

It has been a privilege to meet so many inspirational, energetic and determined women who are shaping the future of the construction industry! I am so proud to have been nominated as one of them.”

"What if I fall…oh my darling what if you build!” It has been an honorary pleasure to be nominated under the category of finalist QS. This is an amazing opportunity platform to contribute to women in the industry. I want to assist them to progress rapidly in the next 5 years!"

CAROLINE LASSEN

“Success is never final, failure is never fatal, it is courage that counts”

CHARMAINE MORRELL

"The secret to happiness is to always follow your passion – when you’re passionate about what you do, you engage others without trying, it’s contagious!

It’s never too late to make a change – be bold and brave."

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CHARLOTTE TAYLOR

CHIE SHIMIZU

"Success is no Accident.

It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, LOVE of what you are doing" - Pele

"I believe my enthusiasm and my ambition will inspire other women in the construction industry."

The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

CLAIRE STEPHAN

DAWN ANSTEY

"I feel passionate about my all the aspects of job as a construction manager. With my passion comes a drive for excellence, quality and a willingness to learn and become an expert in my field."

"I am fortunate that I was given the support and time to be able to complete my application and presentation. Atkins has been really helpful and flexible in supporting my nomination."

CONOR CROWLEY

"We do what we do because it’s the right thing to do, on so many levels. It’s great to be noticed for it, though!"

DIMITRA KYRKOU

ELAINE DALGARNO

“Work hard, love what you do and never give up.

This is your time to shine”

"I am really proud to be nominated for this award, it’s so rewarding that others see the value in what I do and believe in me and my technical ability" Dr NOHA SALEEB

"Being an architect is to love what you do.. but helping other architects is truly to do what you love. That’s why being a mentor is like an iceberg, you only show a small portion of how you impact others’ lives, while the rest is embedded deep beneath the surface."

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ELIZABETH BIRCHENOUGH

“The best part of being in the competition was meeting so many other amazing women and sharing their experience.

They all have great talents and are a credit to their profession.”

ELEANOR SHIRLEY

EMILY EDWARDS

“It’s great to be recognised for my achievements to date. This has given me the drive to challenge myself further”

"I believe in being your true self at work - being authentic, be positive, and be proud to be different."

EMILY JOHNS

EWELINA KARP KREGLICKA

“It is a good opportunity to record your achievements and reflect on what great work you have done on some great projects.”

“This has been a great opportunity to build my company’s image.”

EMMA DICKSON

“Whether you want to get your hands dirty or not, there is a fantastic array of careers for women in rail!"

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FLOR PANIAGUA

GAIL ROYSTON

“Preparing the nomination and the judging day was a fantastic opportunity to reflect about my achievements and aspirations as engineer and woman. It has been a real inspiration.”

“Through my experience to date, I have recognised there is a gender gap in the construction industry and strive to actively participate in encouraging young women to consider construction as a career path.”

GABI HAZELDEN

“The judging day was a fantastic opportunity to meet exciting real life stories of women who enjoy their work in construction and engineering – and so many of them is a rare find!”

GILLIAN DICKSON

HANNAH SMITH "This whole experience has been so positive, when do we usually get an opportunity to step back and look at our achievements during our career and reflect on the positive!"

"Never say no to anything, it is when we are out of our comfort zone that we make the real breakthroughs."

GLAYNE PRICE “I believe being part of this process has raised awareness of architectural technologists in their own right - now if that isn’t something to be celebrated then I don’t know what is!!

Detailing a building is so satisfying – it’s great when everything comes together – literally!”

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HELEN RICHARDSON

“My job allows me to influence how service is developed.”

HARRIET KIRK

IOANNA PAPANIKOLAOU

“A career in engineering is challenging, varied, fun and gives us the chance to do something really worthwhile for society. I can’t imagine a better job!”

“There is more to construction and engineering than just buildings so I would love to see more women in the industry being inspired to follow this career path.”

IRINA SMITH

JANE RICHARDS

“We need to do more to show young people all of the opportunities that exist in the construction industry so that we can attract more talented young people that are currently not looking at construction industry as a career of choice.”

“Engineering and construction has enormous variety, so I really believe there is a job there to suit everyone. It is challenging and rewarding and you never stop learning.”

JANE HUGHES

“Perseverance in the face of setbacks, courage to strike out in a new direction, determination to keep giving your very best – that’s character-building stuff for women in construction.”

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JENNIFER McKINNEY

“Balancing motherhood and work is both challenging and rewarding.”

JENNIE ARMSTRONG

JENNY COSTLEY

"I have broken down some of the barriers in health & safety and I hope other women will be inspired to make a difference."

“I am lucky to have found a career I love and hope to inspire others to join this industry”

JILL GIVEN

JOAN MURRAY

“Being well in yourself, leads to doing well in your life.”

“By celebrating our achievements we are creating role models for the next generation of Engineers.”

JO ELGOOD "I feel very lucky indeed to have such a dynamic and interesting job at Ricardo working on the next generation of cars – and then be recognised for it

by WICE too! I’d love to let more young women out there know about the work I do as I’m sure they’d be inspired to follow a similar path."

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JOANNA BUCKINGHAM

KATE BACKLER “One of the great things about a career in the construction industry is that you can see the results of a decision that you have made in the days that follow, as it physically changes your working environment.

It is very satisfying.”

“The construction industry isn’t always seen as the most glamorous or exciting, but I have had fantastic opportunities to work on some really interesting projects and I would recommend it to anyone.”

KAREN BLANC

" My mantra is make it happen.

There's nothing you can't do, and the only person who can make it happen is you!"

KATE MARTIN

“The judging day was excellent.

It was great to meet so many impressive and inspiring women working in construction and engineering.”

KATE HUNT "You can achieve almost anything by dedication and hard work but to truly excel, you have to believe in yourself.

Work is a major part of all our lives, so always remember to make time to have fun and enjoy yourself."

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KATE RUDMAN

"I am committed to inspiring the next generation of engineers."

KATHERINE WARD

KAYLEY KOMARNYCKYJ

“Working as an engineer in renewable energy is immensely rewarding – and I hope that one day soon renewable energy sources and women in engineering will be the norm, not the minority. “

“It’s been a fantastic experience where I’ve met lots of wonderful women in the industry and celebrate the success of women in construction and engineering.”

KATHRYN WAGHORN  “I am proud to work in construction, and take opportunities when I can to encourage others, particularly those in education, to consider engineering as a career. I was proud to represent planning, contracting and women at this event..”

KIRSTY MURRAY

LAURA JAMES

“Your success will not be determined by your gender or your ethnicity, but only on the scope of your dreams and your hard work to achieve them.” – Zaha Hadid

"I am always willing to explore new situations outside of my comfort zone."

LAURA COLLINS

“I think it is important to promote women in the industry as a sounding board for setting the equality agenda”

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LESLEY HAMMOND "For everyone who is unsure of the merits of a day like this, may I reassure you?

If you wish to spend a day with intelligent, entertaining, inspiring, motivational, likeminded women, then this is absolutely the day for you."

PAMELA McINROY

LINDA MILLER

"The WICE awards are a tangible example of how the industry is changing. Having such an impressive platform to showcase all the wonderful work women are doing is truly inspiring. I am honoured to be in the same category with such a high calibre of women."

"Mentoring is my way of helping both women and men to figure out how they can make the most of their skill set and experience in order to help them lead a flourishing career in construction and engineering."

LISA INGRAM

LOUISE ARROWSMITH

"I pride myself on being a positive influence on those around me, fostering a strong team environment and doing whatever I can to both develop and support existing team members and encourage others into the industry."

“I have so enjoyed being involved with the WICE Awards 2016. The experience of the judging day really stands out, terrifying and fun in equal measure it made such a refreshing change to be with so many other women.”

LIZ HARTLEY

“It was definitely a challenging experience to have to sell yourself rather than the Project and the Team but it was great to have the support of colleagues at Mace around me.”

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LOUISE DEVANEY

LUCY SMITH

"I am passionate about the industry and am proud to have had the opportunity to work in an industry which produces green energy for so many homes. "

LOUISE PAVITT

"Knowing that I had been chosen as a finalist along with such an amazing group of women, who at the end of the day want to do the very best job that they can, whilst more often than not, juggling family commitments, made me feel inspired that collectively we can really make a difference to our industry."

"What a fantastic group of women I met on judging day, each with different and very strong characters, great fun and all worthy finalists."

LUCY THOMAS

LYNSEY LAYCOCK

“Such an enjoyable experience, thank you! I learnt new skills, was inspired by others and am excited to implement the ideas I obtained along the journey to promote our industry to the next generation!�

"Be passionate about your job, work hard and no matter who you are your effort will be recognised" LYN CLARK

"Be proud to be a woman in this fascinating industry.

Believe in yourself.

Treat every hurdle as an opportunity and a chance to shine!"

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MARIA DEL MAR

MARINA SERNA TORRES

“As a mother, with a strong ambition to have a successful career in highway construction, I am determined to play my part in changing the image of the construction industry.”

“I have had the opportunity to meet and spend time with successful and incredible women working in construction. This has motivated me to further develop my career within the construction industry.”

MARIA FOWLER

"I have been inspired by the women I have met in the industry with such outstanding talent, it has given me a new outlook on the opportunities available to women within the industry.

MEGAN KNIGHTS

“All the finalists were accomplished and engaging women and meeting all them of them and feeling the energy and enthusiasm for the engineering and construction industry made participating worthwhile.”

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MARISA GARAY

MELANIE OGDEN

“Architects are orchestra conductors; we have a holistic understanding of the design and building business that brings big value to projects and organisations.”

“I have always felt very strongly about the promotion of engineering and construction to young girls.”

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MELONAE THOMAS

MICHELLE HUMPHREYS

“Let us keep making others better as a result of our presence whilst also making sure that impact lasts in our absence."

"Mentoring gives me the opportunity to support colleagues in achieving their potential and it’s an honour to be able to do it. It’s a two way relationship though, I bring the experience and they bring the biscuits…"

MICHELLE BARRETT "The experience of taking part in the event has been eyeopening, inspiring and hugely valuable. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and all I have learnt through the process."

NAVDEEP DHILLON

NIKI FRENCH “I love working in construction and would recommend it to anyone.

It is exciting, challenging and no day is ever the same. Teamwork and collaboration make it a really enjoyable industry to be in!”

"It was great to see so many other women from so many different industry sectors in one room. A superb platform to showcase some exceptional people!"

NICOLA FAUVEL

“I was to be in the presence of the most amazing women in construction and engineering.

I made friends that I will keep in touch with for a long time, such is the power of these women.”

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PAOLA CASAGRANDE

"It has been truly amazing to meet so many inspirational women and to share our experiences and passion for our industry."

PAMELA McINROY

PAULA HALE

"The WICE awards are a tangible example of how the industry is changing. Having such an impressive platform to showcase all the wonderful work women are doing is truly inspiring. I am honoured to be in the same category with such a high calibre of women."

“I met some lovely ladies who were all winners in their own right and I got to meet other finalists from my own business for the first time.”

PETER WILLIAMS

RACHEL BENTLEY

"I feel it is really important that role models are seen in the wider industry."

‘I have always tried not to define myself as a ‘Woman Architect’, insistent instead on proving myself equal in ability & value to my male peers. However, participating in these awards have provided a vibrant forum for debate and development which has changed my point of view.”

PIPPA HALE-LYNCH

“I am always seeking new challenges and continue to push my capabilities forward.”

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RAFFAELLA ROSPO

“I am very committed to the realization of positive changes for women in architecture and would like to think that I will be able to pass on my enthusiasm to the next generation.”

RACHEL CRAWFORD

RAHMA FARRAG

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning every day , studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing.”

“Genius is 1% Inspiration and 99% Perspiration” - Thomas Edison

REBECA GOMEZ GONZALEZ

REGINA TUMBLEPOT

“Engineering: the art of designing and building for the welfare of the public. Women: facing challenges, working with tenacity and integrity, never giving up. Two words part of the same world!”

“I would like to encourage the younger generation to see how much women are contributing to the construction industry.”

REBECCA FLINT

“Just being nominated is a privilege and I am sure that every woman nominated in my category deserves to win and has worked equally hard to improve environmental and sustainability standards.”

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RHAYNUKAA SONI

“I am truly passionate about I do and therefore don't see it as a job. To be nominated for doing something I love is incredible! It has awarded me the opportunity to help raise the profile of health and safety in Construction and Engineering and highlight the new direction we are moving in.”

RHALINA SAYERS

RICHARD WALL-MORRIS

“I am so proud to work with new technologies whilst interacting with diverse people every day – what is better than such a moving landscape!”

"It is important to recognize that understanding individual needs results in a strong team where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential."

ROMANY O'DELL

RITA CLEMENCIO

“I hope to inspire young budding engineers, or those who haven’t yet decided, that there are so many opportunities out there within construction and engineering."

"Sharing experiences, discussing the daily challenges makes you feel you are not alone and gives you strength to continue fighting for the same rights."

RITA TAYFIELD

“Having an opportunity to meet and network with women of like minds at the WICE awards jduging day has been a privilege. We can achieve anything we set our minds to and shouldn’t be afraid to believe in ourselves and our goals..”

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ROSIE SIMON

SALLY MARSDEN

“You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose”

“It was inspiring to meet so many likeminded women at different stages of their careers and share our experiences in the industry."

- Dr Seuss, Oh the Places You’ll Go

RUTH McINTYRE “It was wonderful to be among such great talent at the judging day and I left feeling very inspired and excited about the possibilities for my career. ”

SARAH ABEL

SHARON FASANYA

"I am keen to learn more about supporting the progression of women in engineering and bring this back to my role mentoring other women in my company.”

“It is testament that with hard work and a genuine passion for this industry it is possible to raise a family and have a successful career. We are women, we can do it all!”

SELENE ROA FRESNO "Having taken part in the awards process has already been an inspirational experience. All the process we have been put through has made me think that there is still a long road ahead until this engineering awards are not a separate category for women”

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SHARON MAYNARD

SOFÍA GUERRERO GÁMEZ “What a wonderful experience this has been! It’s been such a great challenge, but so worth it.

I can’t stress enough to women: believe in yourselves, work hard, use your skills, and be proud.”

"The awards process has been everything I thought it might be – challenging, thought provoking and full of fascinating women!"

SHUCHI JAIN

“You don’t have to be afraid of being a woman – that’s who you are - be who you are. Be confident in what you do. If you believe in something, other people will too. ”

SONA HIRANI

SUE BAMGBOYE

“Understanding that the other women had all had similar challenges was comforting and hearing the advice from successful speakers was inspiring. Sometimes it’s easy to forget the difficulties you faced to get where you are today!."

“We owe it to ourselves to be the most capable, educated, and pioneering individuals in our fields.”

SU (SUJATA) SHARMA

“It is a privilege to be an in house construction lawyer for Skanska, surrounded by wonderful colleagues. The construction world rewards hard work. After all, “the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary!”

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SUSAN BROWN

THUY MY NGUYEN

“Come on girls, I did it and so can you”

“Engineering fulfils our desire to be creative, which is one of the deepest yearnings of our soul.”

TAMSIN SILVESTER

“This whole experience has re-inspired and motivated me to do more to promote this great industry to more young women and girls.”

TOM LANE

TREVOR HODGSON

"It is important to promote STEM careers, apprenticeships and women in engineering and construction."

"It is important to support women by challenging them to perform to the best of their ability, and trusting them and listening to their opinions regardless of their background or expertise"

TONY O'DONNELL

“I am also extremely proud of the achievements and ambitions of the young people I have mentored and the exceptional women I have worked with.”

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VICTORIA VILLANUA

“Enjoy what you do and work at what you love. Always keep dreaming and learning. Go beyond your limits, get out of your comfort zone. Be yourself, but be your best self.”

VERITY SMITH

ZOE FRANCIS

“I am grateful that I had the opportunity to highlight the importance, and my love, of highways geotechnical asset management as part of these awards”

“The atmosphere of the whole day was amazing and not something I will forget easily, it been an honour to be involved in such a fantastic event, with such an amazing group of people.”

ZOE LONSDALE

“It is encouraging to know that so much female talent is out there in our industry, making a difference, and with input from us all this will only get bigger and better.”

ZOE MADAMS

“I have a strong belief in continuous improvement and the development of others.”

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CONGRATULATIONS FROM ZARS MEDIA PROUD ORGANISER OF THE EUROPEAN WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS

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CAROLINE LASSEN OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, MACE

BEST WOMAN CONSULTANT 2016 WINNER

T

his has been a fantastic honour as there was an incredible shortlist. I had a nanosecond of pleasure at the news and then the phone rang and a client in Paris brought me straight back down to earth, so I had to wait until I was back at home with a glass of wine in hand and some friends and family around to really celebrate.

Mace has such a fantastic group of women in it, doing some really inspiring things and this award is testament to all of their hard work and the way we encourage each other to succeed.

One of the best things about progressing in your own career

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is the ability to pay it forward.

Encouraging other women into the industry and doing what I can to help them is one of the things that gives me the most amount of pleasure at work. This win will only support that.

It has been hard work, but entirely worth it!! I have met some amazing women and been motivated all over again to continue to be an advocate for some of the great things that are going on within construction and engineering. The judging panel were also fantastic and gave up a lot of time to be involved – a huge amount of thanks should go to them and Zars Media for all their hard work in making it a success.

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I would absolutely advise Mace to nominate more women next year – it has been an excellent experience from start to finish.

If there are any companies considering submitting nominations in 2017, my advise?

Do it. There’s no downside.

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BELEN MARQUINA SUSIN DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR, FERROVIAL AGROMAN

BEST WOMAN CONTRACTOR 2016 WINNER

O

n receiving the news that I had been shortlisted, firstly I had to read the email twice just to check I had understood it correctly. I was surprised and overjoyed to see that I had been chosen and I immediately made a round of calls to thank the people who had helped put my nomination together. It was a wonderful moment. After the initial euphoria I suddenly realized that I had to start preparing immediately as I wanted to do a good job, not only for myself and my company but also for all of my team.

I’m extremely proud to have won the award for Best Woman Contractor, all the women in my category are outstanding professionals who deserve recognition for the amazing work they do. Winning this award is a prize for Ferrovial, my company,

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and above all for my team. Without their tireless work and dedication I wouldn’t have come this far.

For the last 25 years, I have made a conscious effort to promote women within the sector and have tried to be a role model.

I’m extremely proud to say that 20% of my team are women working in posts directly related to construction. Winning this award at this point in my career is going to inspire me to continue in this vain and I hope it will also inspire other women in my company and my team.

I have only positive things to say about my experience. I was able to meet a wonderful group of like-minded women in a very friendly atmosphere. The organization made sure all our needs were attended to and it ran like clockwork. I take with

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me the aspirations, advice and encouragement from the other nominees I had the pleasure to meet.

I would recommend that Ferrovial continues encouraging women in my company to take part in the WICE AWARDS. I have many wonderful colleagues who deserve recognition for their efforts and good work and, in the same way, my company also deserves recognition for its track record on equality and promoting women in the sector.

For companies considering nominating in 2016 I would say yes, of course………. do it! Speaking from experience, it is challenge both motivational and rewarding for the nominees. It is also a way for companies to acknowledge and promote the work of women.

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CAROL STITCHMAN HEAD OF DESIGN, NETWORK RAIL

BEST WOMAN ARCHITECT & MOST DISTINGUISHED WINNER OF 2016

I

was driving and pulled over when I got a text from my colleague to say that we had both been shortlisted in different categories for an award

by WICE. I carried on driving with a big smile on my face and didn't care that I was stuck in traffic (and no Mr Lorry driver, I am not smiling at you!!)

Being shortlisted for 'best woman architect category' is a reward for all the hard work and years of study. For me, I opted for a part time, day release course, which took over 9 years to complete to get to my Part III and become charted. Over the years, I had a succession of male bosses who tried to convince me that I would never make it to the end. Now winning this award has made it all worth it; packing 5 days work into 4, studying until the small hours in

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the morning listening to late night radio and aching from leaning over a drawing board (yes, it was a long time ago!)

Over the years, I have developed my confidence in the industry and working for Network Rail leading on the design on the ÂŁ750m redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Station, has empowered me to share this knowledge. Each time I present (including on the local ITV news), I have a collection of business cards for more presentations and this is used as CPD for architects and other construction professionals.

It's very important to me to raise the profile of being successful as a woman in construction and at the same time raising the profile of the rail industry (it’s not all about anoraks!) Having a sense of humour is essential to succeed.

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It was a great judging day in a beautiful hotel and another candidate, a young environmental engineer, asked for a tour and presentation of the station to understand all the environmental and sustainability issues that were addressed as well as the architectural design. Since the day, I now have several new 'linked-in' friends.

I have already been canvassing the young woman in Network Rail for the 2017 WICE awards as it not about the winning but you can learn so much on the judging day from the more experienced women around you, in a informal environment. I just wish these awards had been around when I was starting out!

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JANE RICHARDS DIRECTOR, WSP | PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF

BEST WOMAN STRUCTURAL ENGINEER 2016 WINNER

T

he first thing that I did after hearing the news that I’d been selected as a finalist was to check who else from WSP Parsons Brinkerhoff had got through and found that we had a finalist in every category, which was marvellous. It meant that there was a lot of support and comparing ideas in the lead-up to judging day, which was a great event in itself – lots of interesting debate and shared experiences.

To have won in my category is a really significant thing for me – great recognition, but it also makes you pause to reflect and evaluate your career and achievements and I keep breaking into a smile!

One of the things that I feel quite strongly about is the need to keep up the momentum to encourage

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women to take up engineering and construction as a career – there is so much choice and variety that there really is a career for everyone. However, its variety poses one of the challenges as it can be difficult to convey clearly and succinctly what engineering and construction can offer. So I intend to use my win to continue to raise the profile of structural engineering as a career, taking opportunities to explain what it involves and encouraging young women particularly to consider it.

A second issue is that there are relatively few senior women in engineering and construction and, whilst we can debate the reasons for this, more role models and examples will help.

The whole awards experience has

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been very positive – they are very well planned and enjoyable. I am definitely going to recommend that we participate again as a company in 2017 and the advice that I would give to anyone considering submitting nominations is to broaden the initial list of potential candidates. That way you may find that you have candidates who show something a little different, which helps to think about who the most likely winners could be.

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MELONAE THOMAS PROJECT MANAGER, LENDLEASE

BEST WOMAN PROJECT MANAGER 2016 WINNER

T

he first thing I did after hearing the news that I had been selected as a finalist was to burst into smiles and then shared the great news with those in my team and the colleagues who had supported my nomination.

It is an amazing achievement to have won Best Female Project Manager and I feel incredibly proud and honoured given the high calibre of all the other nominees.

The award is a fantastic recognition of my excellence, determination and passion whilst working with the best site teams and Clients in

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the industry. I hope my winning this award will help to inspire women across my company as well as the young women I mentor to have a “can do” attitude and to make the most of their opportunities.

I intend to use the profile generated by this award to encourage more people to become Construction Ambassadors and intend to raise the bar in advocating the importance of investing in the future of the junior female colleagues within my business.

It’s been an absolutely enjoyable experience being part of the WICE event. I have made a few friends

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and the experience was a strong reminder of the many fiercely strong, talented and inspirational women successfully delivering across the industry.

I am sure Lendlease will be celebrating the top female talent we have across our business with nominations again next year. Women are hugely underrepresented on construction sites and hopefully balance may be gained by elevating and showcasing the exemplar talent of women in the industry.

Advice for companies considering nominations in 2017? Just do it!

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LAURA COLLINS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, MACE COST CONSULTANCY

BEST WOMAN QUANTITY SURVEYOR 2016 WINNER

T

he first thing that I did when I found out I had been selected as a finalist was read the email twice to check it was right!

Then thanked our managing director, Chris Goldthorpe, for nominating me. I joined Mace Cost Consultancy Limited in 2012 and I've never looked back.

Everyone has always been very encouraging and there are great programmes in place to ensure your skills are used to the best of your ability. I was really grateful that I had made the shortlist out of a group of fantastic women in my discipline and I viewed the other finalists and judges LinkedIn profiles. I then started going through the information

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pack for the judging day.

I feel great to have won my category. It's a great achievement, especially at 36 weeks pregnant!

I've been in the industry 10 years this year so it’s a fantastic way to celebrate this milestone in the construction industry. I am really thankful for the recognition after many years of hard work and determination to succeed and promote women in the industry.

I started out at 18 and have worked hard to build my career since then.

This award shows young women that if I can do it, so can they. I'm really proud to be an Associate Director at 27 and now Best Woman Quantity Surveyor! What a brilliant way to show ambition and

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drive to anyone looking for success in the industry, male or female. I am really looking forward to seeing other women excel far past my achievements.

This is the first award that I have had the privilege of being nominated for, therefore I have nothing to compare to. However, the judging day was interesting and I met some great contacts who I hope to stay in touch with in the future. I was nervous about my interview but the judges really helped me to feel at ease and it felt like a day of celebrations for women of the future in the construction industry. The debates throughout the day were varied and challenged the norm. I took away

some different ideas for Business Development and I have already discussed these with our Managing Director as the stepping stone to put them in place.

I think it is important to promote women in the industry as a sounding board for setting the equality agenda and celebrating how far we have come in the industry. It is also really important to recognise talent within the industry and I hope in the future we will be nominating a person for their skills alone, regardless of being male or female. We can all play a part in making this happen and I look forward to continuing my contribution to this in the industry.

I would definitely recommend

Mace Cost Consultancy to continue to nominate my colleagues in the future to celebrate their success.

If you put someone up for nomination, I think it is important to encourage them and let them know why they have been nominated!

Sometimes it’s difficult to recognise your own achievements. I would also make sure there is adequate support in place for the nomination forms and preparation for the judging day. Speaking to other nominees, it appears that this awards is unique in structure and it is such an honour to be nominated, let alone be a winner! I can't wait to see what the future holds for other high performing women in the industry.

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SOFÍA GUERRERO GÁMEZ BID MANAGER, FERROVIAL AGROMAN UK

BEST WOMAN CIVIL ENGINEER 2016 WINNER

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am so proud of this recognition, and my first thoughts were with the many people who have, in their various ways, supported my career. This award is for all of us. And thank you all, men and women, who have been by my side over the years.

I feed absolutely fabulous winning this evening! I would like to think that a key reason for my win was the time I spent supporting young engineers. I’m passionate about seeing the next generation of talent succeed in all their different ways. I’m so grateful for their good humour, tenacity and drive, which has been an inspiration to me.

I plan to use this award as a physical symbol of what other talented women can achieve.

Being recognised by my superiors

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and peers is one thing; the award makes it real for others to see, so they can go for it. I want to spread the message of the award as widely as possible.

What a rollercoaster of emotions taking part in the awards! It was really hard work to get to the judging day, but also a unique opportunity to recap on my career, thinking of all the different roles I have played. It’s made me realise that we all have so much more to offer than may seem apparent at first glance. The process has also been a great opportunity for me to gain invaluable feedback and advice from junior engineers, ICE and JV colleagues, designers, subcontractors and clients. I’m truly touched by the supportive testimonies given to me by so many people. I’d like to pay

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particular attention to my Crossrail BFK SMM team – you skillful men and women are amazing, and you are the reason why I’m so proud of us all.

The award process has reaffirmed my decision to promote women within the industry, something I won’t stop doing. I think women provide amazing potential and contributions in civil engineering.

Our under-represented talent needs to be promoted proudly, and my award experience has only served to further strengthen my resolve to make this happen.

I would most certainly advise Ferrovial to keep nominating women, to keep promoting the talents we bring. I want to remain a key part of that process, helping future award applicants recognise their own achievements. People’s

problem-solving skills, combined with team skills and innovative ideas, never fail to impress me.

What an industry we’re in!

I advise companies to think about the many ways in which their women have shown strong leadership and how they have left a lasting impression as role models. I think companies should promote the awards widely throughout their teams, and provide applicants with support, encouragement and advice.

To make all of this possible, I advise companies to open up opportunities to all staff to grow professionally, develop technical and leadership skills, and take on the role of mentor to younger talented people who want to expand their careers.

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VERITY SMITH

SENIOR GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER, ATKINS

BEST WOMAN IN HIGHWAYS 2016 WINNER

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fter counting down the days to the announcement of the finalists, I was incredibly excited to see my name shortlisted. After catching my breath from the surprise, I immediately shared the news with my colleagues around me, all those who have supported me throughout my career and of course, those who had nominated me. I also told my colleague Harriet Kirk who had been shortlisted for an award that she should look at the web site!

I am over the moon and incredibly humbled to have been chosen as the winner in such a strong field of women, who are all making a difference with their outstanding contributions to the Highways industry. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to highlight the importance, and my love,

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of highways geotechnical asset management in these awards.

It feels fantastic to have been recognised for doing what I enjoy.

I cannot wait to use this award as an example of what can be achieved by a passionate woman in the highways sector. In my career I aim to set a good example to the women that I work with and by winning this award it will demonstrate how you can achieve your goals and be recognised in the industry through hard work and determination.

These awards have inspired me to make connections with local colleges and schools to arrange talks promoting the opportunities for women in Construction and Engineering. I also plan to collaborate with colleagues who are already involved in established STEM activities.

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I have thoroughly enjoyed my experiences during the awards process and in particular the opportunity to meet impressive and inspiring women in the industry. It has also made me consider my career experience to date and helped me recognise what I have achieved since starting my career in Geotechnical Engineering. I have a passion for what I do, and the process has reminded me how much I enjoy my work. It has also encouraged me to continue to develop my knowledge in this field for the benefit of all in the Highways industry.

There are many amazing women within my organisation who deserve recognition for the fantastic contribution they make to the industry. I would strongly advise the company to nominate women for future awards. Promoting the successes of women at awards like

these helps to boost confidence and create much needed role models.

Atkins is already recognised as one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Women in 2015. Success at these awards would help attract more of the best women in industry to the company and encourage the fantastic female talent that we already have.

My advice for companies considering submitting nominations would be, do it!

Although not all entrants can be winners, the nomination process itself is a way of recognising the efforts and achievements of women in Construction and Engineering and will only benefit those involved. It also helps the company demonstrate that there are opportunities for women to achieve and be recognised in the industry.

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SHUCHI JAIN

PRINCIPAL ELECTRIFICATION ENGINEER, ARCADIS

BEST WOMAN RAIL ENGINEER 2016 WINNER

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he first thing I did when I learned I had been shortlisted was called my family in India and my husband to break the news.

They were elated to hear that I was shortlisted as a Finalist in the WICE awards. I also congratulated my colleagues and friends from the industry who were shortlisted in various categories.

I feel extremely honoured to have won the ‘Best Woman Rail Engineer’ award and I am grateful for the recognition I have received for my contribution to the engineering and construction industry. It feels great to be appreciated for all the hard work and long hours I had put in to be where I am today. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me reach this stage where I can proudly hold up this award as a mark of my achievement.

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Often engineering is considered as the play-ground for men, where they take charge and call the shots. Women, on the other hand, represent only 10% of the total engineering workforce. With this award, I want to help change this perception and overcome this tradition of gender disparity.

Through networking events, talks and seminars and also actively participating in women’s engineering societies/groups, I want to continually encourage and promote young women to enter the engineering profession and develop professionally.

It has been a thrilling experience being part of the WICE awards.

The team is very warm and helpful and has done an excellent job in getting together so many successful and inspiring women on one platform.

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It is a great opportunity for companies to showcase the talent of young women engineers. As for the women engineers, it gives them not only immense confidence to be recognised and appreciated by their employers but also a chance to network with other women achievers in the industry.

Employers must be committed to recognising and improving diversity in engineering and a way to do that is to nominate as many deserving women engineers from their organisations. Also, the applicants might find the process a bit daunting at the beginning and that’s why it is important for the organisations to constantly support and motivate their nominees along the application and judging processes.

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SHARON FASANYA FIT OUT PLANNER, LONDON UNDERGROUND

BEST WOMAN CONSTRUCTION PLANNER 2016 WINNER

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he first thing I did when I heard that I had been selected as a finalist was to call my husband.

Juggling a career and young children is a challenge and my husband has been so supportive through it all. I also was keen to find out who nominated me, it is great to be recognised for my contributions. I had a smile on my face that lasted for days.

I feel over the moon to have won in my category, it is not often planners get recognised in this industry and I do believe programme is at the heart of all successful construction projects. I have worked with some outstanding people on some landmark projects such

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as Terminal 5, St. Pancras, Blackfriars and currently at Bond Street Station Upgrade for LU and it is only from great teams that individuals can shine.

I plan to use my award to ensure that other women …. and men for that matter are aware that they will be recognised for their hard work and achievements in this industry and it does not go un noticed.

It has been a wonderful and rewarding experience taking part in these awards. I have enjoyed looking back on my career and collating all the ideas I have implemented. It has been a chance to take a step back and realise how I’ve come a long way from starting out in this industry. I have

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thoroughly enjoyed meeting other women in this industry and learn about their experiences and I hope to keep in contact with many of them.

I already have some names of women that I think should be nominated for an award in 2017.

There are so many women that contribute a great deal to the Construction Industry and it would be great for them to be recognised for this.

My advice for any companies considering submitting nominations in 2017 would be, if a woman’s name comes to mind, then nominate her, she has obviously had a positive impact already!

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JENNIE ARMSTRONG OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH LEAD - CONSTRUCTION, MACE

BEST WOMAN IN HEALTH & SAFETY 2016 WINNER

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he first thing I did learning that I had been shortlisted was called my parents, they’ve always encouraged me to be the best that I could be and I knew they’d be proud to hear what I’d done.

It is really important to me as my role focuses on driving improvements in health management throughout the industry. The win demonstrates how the industry values what I am trying to achieve.

I want to make a difference in this industry and getting people talking more about health is a

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step in itself. I think the win will give me the opportunity as well as the credibility to share my story.

I have broken down some of the barriers in health and safety and I hope other women will be inspired to make a difference.

It has been really inspiring taking part in the competition. I have met so many women that have had great successes within the industry. It has opened my eyes to the potential the industry has and motivated me to keep going.

The nomination gives individuals the opportunity to network with some amazing people as well as

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the recognition for their hard work and commitment. More women need to be encouraged to join the industry and awards like these highlight the incredible amount of potential it has.

For companies considering nominating in 2017 I would say definitely go for it. The process is a challenge however it is also rewarding to reflect on how much you have achieved it’s a great learning experience.

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SHARON MAYNARD SUSTAINABILITY OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, SKANSKA

BEST WOMAN ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY 2016 WINNER

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efore I had a chance to do anything I received a message from a colleague who had been a finalist the last year sending her congratulations! For me that really highlighted the type of supportive process that these awards are.

Having met the other finalists on the judging day, I am so delighted to have won in my category. I have such respect for my colleagues in this field and industry so to have been picked as the winner is something that I am really proud of.

If I had not been nominated by my colleagues in Skanska then I would never have entered for these awards so having won, I would look to ensure that we as a

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business and an industry promote this opportunity to the women we work with so that we can celebrate their roles and achievements.

The awards process has been everything I thought it might be – challenging, thought provoking and full of fascinating women! I had not expected the level of support and good will that was so evident amongst all of the finalists on the judging day and I hope to stay in touch with many of the women I met at the judging day.

I know that Skanska will continue to nominate for these awards and I will fully support that process as previous entrants have supported me this year. It has been such a confidence boost to be nominated

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and go through the process so I would want that for other women in my company.

Companies nominating in 2017 should look across the business at the women that they think deserve recognition, then look at the categories in the awards process. The category that I was nominated for did not exist last year but was developed as a new award due to the demand from Skanska and wider industry. This flexibility and desire to ensure that women across the industry are recognised is a great element of these awards.

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NICOLA FAUVEL

NUCLEAR ISLAND AREA DELIVERY MANAGER, EDF-ENERGY NUCLEAR NEW BUILD

BEST WOMAN ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL ENGINEER 2016 WINNER

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fter I heard the news that I had been shortlisted, I smiled and wondered how it was possible to get a prize for just getting on with a job I love and have wanted to do since I was 12, in an industry that challenges me every day to be the best that I can be on a project that is beyond superlatives.

When I remember the admiration I felt on the judging day for such an extraordinary group of women, working on the flagship projects being undertaken in the UK and abroad, to be selected as a winner amongst people I look up to is one of the highest accolades I could

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aspire to achieving. I am privileged to be the winner of the WICE Best Woman Electrical and Mechanical Engineer for 2016.

I recently registered as a mentor with the collaboration that the IMechE and MentorSet have developed to support and mentor women in engineering, particularly young women returning to work after having a family. I hope to use the prestige of this award to reinforce my activities in supporting young woman back into construction and engineering roles to retain their vital skills, experience and also their diverse talents. I also speak to school-age

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girls about how exciting STEM subjects are and how fantastic careers in construction and engineering are. This prize will reinforce the opportunities that are available to girls in pursuing careers in these fields.

The experience taking part in this process has been Intense, introspective, empowering, motivating, invigorating, daunting, fun; a voyage of self-discovery and self-belief in the best possible company.

I would recommend my company nominate again next year; the prize is a way for companies to demonstrate the value that they

place on a diverse workforce and a skilled workforce. The recognition for both the individual and the company are immeasurable.

If you are a company considering taking part next year it is import to note that this is not an easy award to pursue; it is challenging and demands considerable investment in time and effort, which is understandable for awards of this nature. Do not underestimate the importance of preparation of the nomination but similarly do not underestimate the huge benefits of being a nominee, being a company who nominates and having a member of staff who is a WICE award winner.

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GLAYNE PRICE

DIRECTOR (CHARTERED ARCH. TECHNOLOGIST), LHC ARCHITECTURE + URBANISM

BEST WOMAN ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGIST 2016 WINNER

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couldn’t actually believe it when I was shortlisted!

Then I suddenly thought to myself ‘Oh god I’ve got to do a presentation… and that 1 minute of why I should win! Why oh why am I being put through this!?’

Once the shock had faded, and I realised that it was an honour, I just glowed with the fact that I had been nominated by LHC and then shortlisted.

Having won in my category really is the most incredible feeling; an amazing achievement. Having won the Plymouth Women of Achievement ‘Business’ Award back in 2002 I can only describe it as better than that!! Architectural technology is such a great part of the construction industry and I love seeing buildings being delivered from conceptual design to the ‘nuts and bolts’ so being awarded for doing something I enjoy is fantastic.

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Previously I had wondered if others would be interested in my story on how I have got where I am today.

Now I feel that I really can make a difference in encouraging those that are not so academically gifted to come into the construction industry. I’m already a Construction Ambassador with South West Women in Construction so I plan to attend more schools events safe in the knowledge that I have this experience behind me… and actually add this part to my story.

It has been a terrifying but exhilarating experience! It was great meeting with other professionals from across so many different sectors, and not just UK but also Europe. The process was daunting initially but now I look back and would happily be part of it again.

I would most definitely advise LHC to nominate again. If you

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value your staff (whether male or female) then nomination is such an achievement and so gratifying for the nominee. Anyone would be very proud knowing that they were held in such high regard by their peers.

The fact that I have been thought of in such a way twice still makes me smile and I’m so glad that I have continued to progress throughout my career.

For companies considering taking part next year do make sure you are fully aware of what will be required from the person you are nominating. Help guide them and make sure that they don’t miss anything important out of their nomination form or presentation.

Give them the support they deserve as you clearly feel that they should be considered!!

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RUTH McINTYRE

PART 2 ARCHITECTURAL ASSISTANT, WESTON WILLIAMSON + PARTNERS

BEST YOUNG WOMAN ARCHITECT 2016 WINNER

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hen I first heard the news that I had been selected as a finalist I was delighted, it is so easy to get caught up in meetings and deadlines, so it is nice to take a step back, look at how far you have come and realise you are doing well. The first thing I did of course was text my mum, my number one fan.

I feel so proud to have won Best Young Female Architect, it is a real achievement and I am very thankful to all the people who have supported my nomination. I love my job, and the challenges it brings and so to get recognition

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for following my passion is a great feeling.

I hope that through winning this award, I can encourage others to have confidence in their ability and what they can achieve, I think that the key is to not only work hard, but to accept praise and believe in yourself.

The whole experience has been great! Getting the recognition and support from my company was very encouraging and then being selected as a finalist was a real boost for me. I was very inspired by the women I met at the Judging Day, and hearing the wonderful things they had accomplished

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gave me a fresh determination to succeed.

Following my experience this year, I will definitely encourage my company to nominate other women in 2017. There are some very talented women in my office who not only inspire me, but are vital to the success of the company and their determination and hard work should be recognised and celebrated.

If you are thinking about nominating someone then nominate them, it is great to receive positive feedback for the hard work you do, and the recognition is a great encouragement.

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MELANIE OGDEN

PROJECT MANAGER – NORTHERN LINE EXTENSION, TFL

BEST YOUNG WOMAN IN CONSTRUCTION 2016 WINNER

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he first thing I did after hearing the news that I had been selected as a finalist was just to carry on with everything on site and ensure everything was running smoothly. Working in construction can be so busy you learn to process certain bits of information to keep everything going and store others until later. Once I got home and spoke to my partner it sunk in that I had been selected as a finalist for these amazing awards and I got quite excited!

It actually feels quite overwhelming to have won my category. You are always so used to being in the minority in construction, however, when you go into a room with hundreds of other outstanding

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women you realise there is quite an army of us breaking down barriers in all our fields and the competition was strong. I am very humbled to have been recognised in this way and I hope this is a testimony to many other young girls that you can achieve your dreams and with hard work, determination and support.

I have always felt very strongly about the promotion of engineering and construction to young girls. I am keen for them to see themselves in my shoes and in the shoes of people in this industry. I try and be a role model for those girls and in particular those who don’t have someone in their lives working in engineering and construction. This award will give me more authenticity when

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speaking to them. I would love it if they could also dream of picking up this award one day.

It has been such a positive experience taking part in these awards but it has been hard work too! As always I have enjoyed working for something that matters so much. I have loved meeting all the other amazing women and I have thoroughly enjoyed celebrating each other’s achievements and feeling inspired by those ahead of me in their careers.

I would absolutely advise Transport for London to nominate other women in 2017. Women are still very much in the minority in construction and engineering and the ones that do breakthrough into

the industry should be celebrated, supported and encouraged by their employers. This is something TfL always does and I am sure there will be many women nominated next year.

My advice to any company would be to submit as many nominations for amazing women as you can.

Women are trailblazing into the engineering and construction industry and often having to work harder than men to prove themselves, it is therefore essential that you show your support for them. It also raises the profile of your members of staff and your company; it shows that you are supportive of women in these sectors.

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ALISON WATERWORTH SENIOR ENGINEER, AECOM

BEST YOUNG WOMAN ENGINEER 2016 WINNER

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actually waited up until midnight when the finalists were announced because I knew I wouldn’t sleep for the excitement anyway. As soon as I found out I’d made it through to the finals, along with my best friend who made it through in another category, I messaged her with my excited congratulations and then phoned my parents (at midnight) to tell them the news.

Once I received the Judging Day instructions I set about planning my presentation and 1 minute speech, which I decided to do as a poem, combining my love of poetry and engineering.

I am absolutely over the moon to have won the Best Young Woman Engineer category. Having met some of the other very strong

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candidates at the Judging Day, I’m in complete shock. This award is testimony to the faith my line manager has put in me over the years to complete large-scale projects and push my engineering abilities beyond even what I could imagine. I’m extremely proud to be recognised for this and will continue my career with the same determination to succeed in the future.

Winning this award tonight will provide me with a higher profile platform to shout from about this fantastic industry. I have always been passionate about promoting engineering to younger people, particularly girls, and my aim is to continue my active approach to tackling the future workforce deficit and reaching gender parity

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in the engineering industry. I will use this accolade to encourage others within my team, my company and others outside of my business to work to the best of their abilities, as hard work really does pay off. It is a privilege to be chosen for this award and I will endeavour to use the exposure to be a suitable ambassador for the Engineering World.

I have loved every minute of taking part in the process! It has been quite challenging at times trying to blow your own trumpet, as I do not think it is a natural thing for engineers to do, but it has been a great experience to reflect on my achievements to date and it has really highlighted the direction in which I would like my career to progress. Being surrounded by

other inspirational and successful women at the Judging Day was empowering and I felt a renewed sense of motivation and pride in my career.

I have already advised my company to nominate again in 2017! The day after Judging Day I emailed our Director of Strategic Planning & Advisory to recommend AECOM gets involved again next year. The Judging Day, and in fact the whole process, was extremely well organised and the opportunity to network with other likeminded women (and men!) is invaluable. I fully recommend all companies reading this to become involved in future years because being nominated has given me a confidence boost and has been a reminder that my hard work has

not gone unnoticed. It has made me feel appreciated and even more driven to prove my worth to the people who have nominated me and provided excellent references.

My advice to companies considering taking part in 2017 is, absolutely go for it! If you have people working for you who are doing a great job then you should definitely nominate them. Even if they don’t win, the experience of the Judging Day and having the opportunity to focus on their strengths is a very positive thing for individuals and the company will benefit greatly from it. Should your nominee win, the exposure they will receive, and you as a company will receive, will be priceless.

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SU (SUJATA) SHARMA COMPANY SOLICITOR, SKANSKA

OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN CONSTRUCTION LAW 2016 WINNER

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hen I first heard the news that I was a finalist, I took a deep breath and thought of all the supportive rocks in my life who have contributed to my career; my family, my amazing work colleagues and my boss.

They always believed in me, more than I believed in myself! I brought cakes for those who had nominated me as I was so touched that they had shown me this recognition.

They had put in a lot of work in assembling my nomination.

Knowing of the talent that exists in the construction legal world, it is very humbling and a true privilege to have won Outstanding Woman in Construction Law 2016. I work on major projects, negotiating with exceptional female construction lawyers on the opposite side of the table. It is an honour to be recognised by winning this prestigious award for something

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I absolutely love doing and am extremely passionate about. I work with top people at Skanska on world class projects; top, not just because of their professional calibre but their ethical standards and great sense of humour!

Winning this award is the pinnacle of my career.

I hope my win will inspire women of all backgrounds to be encouraged to follow their dreams. I believe the construction world is very receptive to hard work. As a result of this win, I will spread my simple philosophy through talks, which is “It's all about hard work, going the extra mile and not letting your gender or ethnicity hold you back in any way!” We women generally doubt ourselves. If we believe in ourselves, this, in turn, will empower and inspire other women around us.

Being part of WICE was a refreshing, thrilling experience;

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from the organisers, to the judges, speakers and fellow finalists, there was a great feeling of togetherness; we all felt we were part of something very unique as we were raising the profile of women in construction. Increasing the number of women in construction makes our industry more robust as it gives an opportunity for varying voices to be heard.

I think all companies should nominate their talented female work force as it makes the nominees feel extremely valued and appreciated, as I do. It also reflects well on the nominating company as it demonstrates that although we women in construction are a minority, we are appreciated for the unique value we add to our dynamic sector. My advice to those companies thinking about making nominations is simply to “go for it” as it is a win- win situation, both for the nominator and the nominee.

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GILLIAN DICKSON CHIEF ENGINEER, OIL & GAS ENERGY, ATKINS

OUTSTANDING WOMAN IN OIL & GAS 2016 WINNER

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was thrilled to hear that I had been nominated for this award.

It was fantastic to know that my colleagues appreciate the work that I do and felt that I would be a worthy recipient.

I feel immensely honoured to have won this award. I am very lucky to do a job that I love, and one that I genuinely believe makes a difference not only to the oil and gas industry, but society as a whole.

It is a very proud moment for me to have my contribution recognised in this way. It should also be noted that I don’t work alone - I work with a fantastic team who share in this success!

This win will show young female engineers what can be achieved through hard work and passion.

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In addition as a flexible worker, I have demonstrated that you can have a rewarding career whilst not compromising on work-life balance. I have seen many changes over the years and nowadays the importance of having a diverse and inclusive workforce is widely recognised. I am fortunate to work for a company with this ethos and again this award is a testament to its vision.

Taking part in the WICE awards has been a fantastic experience.

It has been great to meet other participants and to see the extent of female talent that exists in the engineering and construction industries. That said, I find it disheartening that even today less than 10% of the engineers in the

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UK are female. These awards are key in highlighting and promoting careers in engineering to young girls.

I would hope that Atkins will continue to nominate women next year. As well as recognising the contribution made by our talented female engineers, the awards provide a platform to showcase women in engineering to the industry and beyond.

As for other companies considering submitting nominations in 2017, why not? If you have capable, enthusiastic women engineers who make a significant contribution to your company, then why not show them they are appreciated and let everyone else know too!

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ALISON CHIPPINGTON PRECONTRACT MANAGER, TRANSPORT, MORGAN SINDALL CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE

BEST FEMALE MENTOR 2016 WINNER

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he first thing I did after hearing the news that I had been nominated for this award was, I told my mum and dad. They have always been very supportive and proud of my choice of career and my achievements. They were very excited to hear that the company had acknowledged my contribution to developing an exceptional group of inspiring young engineers.

I am amazed that I have won. I met some brilliant women on the judging day and learnt some useful lessons in how to implement effective mentoring programmes, and what pitfalls to avoid.

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I would like to develop our company mentoring programme, going beyond our very successful graduate training scheme and encouraging all people within our business to seek out mentoring opportunities. Working together across the industry on mid- career mentoring would support the industry skills gap initiatives, giving women and men who have had a career break or a change of career confidence to play their part in construction.

It has been very Inspiring taking part in this process. It is very rewarding to be recognised by your work colleagues. It is also an

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ideal opportunity to encourage and enthuse other talented women and men in the company.

For any company looking to nominate in 2017 I would suggest looking for talent at every level in your business. Once you start asking for suitable candidates the nominations come flooding in – it’s a real buzz to realise you have industry leaders current and future working with you and in your teams.

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TONY O’DONNELL ENGINEERING DIRECTOR, TRANSPORT, MORGAN SINDALL CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE LTD

BEST MALE MENTOR 2016 WINNER

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hen I first learned that I had been nominated for this award, I asked some of my mentees if they felt it was warranted and if they would support my nomination. They were very supportive and gave me some very encouraging feedback on what I had done for them – I never knew!

I am very proud to have won, not just personally but for the reassurance it provides to me, my business and others that mentoring really does make a difference to anyone – male or female. I’m also extremely proud of the achievements and ambitions of the young people I have mentored and the exceptional women I have worked with.

I will use this recognition to encourage senior leaders in the industry (male and female) to take time to properly mentor young people by reflecting on the mentors who inspired, supported 124

and promoted them on their career journeys and to feedback on the satisfaction, pride and personal learning a healthy mentoring relationship can create I have enjoyed taking part in the awards process mainly because of the people I have met – other finalists, judges and speakers. They have made me think, learn and share more.

I have been humbled by the feedback and encouragement I have received from my mentees.

That, rather than the award inspires me to encourage more people to take the time to develop strong mentoring relationships and to challenge our business to apply more structure to our mentoring programmes.

Morgan Sindall now has over 45 previous finalists in just two years – this group are collectively and individually providing huge inspiration to women and men

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in our organisation to embrace the benefits that greater diversity provides. Their recognition has highlighted individual achievements but more importantly has changed perceptions, established goals, increased trust and encouraged action - amongst enthusiasts and sceptics alike.

If you are considering taking part in 2017 my advice is just do it!

Encourage your sceptics to get over the “why do we need a separate awards for women?” question and get first hand feedback from any previous participant. The entry process and judging day alone are excellent opportunities to capture and celebrate achievements. This inevitably leads to reflection on why mentoring is so important in creating further achievement and excellence in your organisation.

Talk to a previous finalist – their enthusiasm will best convey why you should do it.

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LUCY HOMER HEAD OF DESIGN, LENDLEASE

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2016 WINNER

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uring her more than 15 years as an architect, Lucy has become a vocal and influential advocate for the concept of ‘designing it once’. Having worked for both architectural practices and latterly, development and construction firm Lendlease, Lucy is reshaping the way we understand design by encouraging an end-to-end approach that seamlessly takes design from concept stage to construction and beyond.

Lucy’s drive to get design teams to understand construction - and viceversa - is informed by the desire to create efficiencies that ultimately benefit her clients. Her approach has its roots in the construction of BBC Broadcasting House. Lucy

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was the only architect to work on this complex 10 year project from start to finish, first for MacCormac Jamieson Prichard and then Sheppard Robson. The experience enabled Lucy to hone her ability to lead teams that not only generate creative and inspiring ideas, but that also maintain buildability.

It is an approach she has continued to develop at Lendlease. Here she has established a fully integrated team that brings together traditionally disparate design and construction functions to create a ‘design it once’ ethos.

Lucy said: “I am an architect and I care passionately about design.

Design is not just about the final product but also the process to get there. Throughout my career I

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have provided a link between the construction teams and the design office. My role at Lendlease allows me to build on this to achieve my ultimate dream of two aligned industries; design and construction working together and efficiently.

“Considering design holistically from a multi-discipline perspective is key to this approach. We have bought design, facades, structure, M&E, BIM and Quality together to form one Design+Technical Group at Lendlease enabling us to effectively advise our projects across Europe.”

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GREAT WOMEN IN ENGINEERING HISTORY www.engineergirl.org

LONG BEFORE WOMEN ENGINEERS WERE CONSIDERED SOMETHING SPECIAL, SOME AMAZING WOMEN WERE DOING GREAT THINGS TO PAVE THE WAY. ALTHOUGH THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE SOMETIMES UNRECOGNIZED, WOMEN WITH A LITTLE INGENUITY HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE POWER TO DO GREAT THINGS. TAKE A LOOK AT A FEW OF THESE PROFILES OF HISTORICAL WOMEN TO SEE HOW THEY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR WORLD.

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ONE OF THE GREATEST INVENTORS OF THE INDUSTRIAL ERA

H

elen Augusta Blanchard was one of the greatest inventors of the industrial era.

She was often referred to as "Lady Edison" She held 28 patents, 22 of which had something to do with sewing machines. She was born in 1840 to a wealthy family from Maine. When her family lost their fortune her mechanical skills came in handy. She filed her first patent for her most famous zigzag sewing machine in 1873. This zigzag stitch sealed the raw edges of the seam, which made the garment sturdier. Her 1873 zigzagger is now on display at the Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Other remarkable inventions by Blanchard are self-taking needles and a surgical needle.

She died in 1922 at the age of 82.

HELEN AUGUSTA BLANCHARD

BLANCHARD OVERSEAMING COMPANY

FIRST WOMAN TO EARN AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEGREE FROM MIT

E

dith Clarke was born on February 10, 1883 in Howard County, Maryland. In 1908, she earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and astronomy from Vassar College. After teaching physics at a girls' school for a few years, Edith decided to go back to school. She enrolled in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in 1918, earned her master's degree in electrical engineering. She was the first woman to receive a degree from that department.

From 1919 until her first retirement in 1945, Edith worked as an engineer for General Electric. In 1921, she received a patent for her "graphical calculator." This device was used to solve electric power transmission line problems. In 1926, Edith became the first woman to deliver a paper before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.

In 1947, Edith went to teach electrical engineering at the University of Texas, Austin.

She was the first woman to teach engineering there. Edith's accomplishments was recognized in 1954 by the Society of Women Engineers Achievements Award "in recognition of her many original contributions to stability theory and circuit analysis."

She retired from teaching in 1956. Edith Clarke died in October 1959 at the age of 76.

Edith Clarke's inventions has made a difference in the world of electrical engineering and for women across the globe.

EDITH CLARKE

GENERAL ELECTRIC, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN

DEVELOPED SIGNAL FLARES THAT ARE STILL USED BY THE U.S. NAVY TODAY

A MARTHA J. COSTON COSTON SUPPLY COMPANY

t the age of 21, Martha J. Coston found herself widowed and with four children to support. When her husband, a former naval scientist died, Martha found plans for a pyrotechnic (signal) flare in his notebook and decided that she could design a signal flare that would work. She faced two big challenges before she could come up with a design. First, the flares had to be simple enough to use in coded color combinations. Second, they had to be bright, durable, and long-lasting so that they were effective tools for ship-to-ship and ship-to-land communications.

After several years of working on the design, Martha hit on the idea of using fireworks technology as the basis of her design. Once Martha thought of using fireworks technology, she developed the original plan into an elaborate system of flares called Night Signals. She received her patent for her Pyrotechnic Night Signals on April 5, 1859. The U.S. Navy then paid her $20,000 for the patent rights to the flares. They also awarded Martha the contract to manufacture them. Martha's flares served as the basis of a system of communication that helped save lives and win battles during the Civil War. Some historians have said that the signal flares helped the North to win the war.

After the war, Martha continued to improve her invention and came up with a twistignition device that she patented in 1871. The Coston Supply Company established

by Martha Coston remained in business into the late 1970s. Martha sold her flares to navies, shippers, maritime insurance companies, and yacht clubs around the world like France, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Haiti. The system of bright, long-lasting signal flares revolutionized naval communication and continues to be in use. Coston's invention saved many lives.The effectiveness of Pyrotechnic Night Signals attracted the U.S. Navy and till now these devices are still used.

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FIRST FEMALE MEMBER OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS (ASCE)

E ELSIE EAVES

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COST ENGINEERS, INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE SERVICE CORPS

lsie Eaves was born in Idaho Springs, Colorado in 1898. In 1920, at the age of 22, she graduated from the University of Colorado with a civil engineering degree.

After graduating from college, she worked for the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, the Colorado State Highway Department, and the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad.

In 1927, Elsie became the first woman to be a full member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Around this time, Elsie began making the most of her engineering education. She decided to make a career change and joined the Engineering and News Reports (ENR) as an assistant manager for market surveys.

She eventually became the manager of the Construction Economics department.

While in this position, she directed ENR’s measurement of "Post War Planning" in the construction industry. This data were used by ASCE and the Committee of Economic Development to decide and estimate what work could go forward promptly when World War II ended. She then converted the data into the first continuous database of construction in the planning stages.

In 1945, she became the manager of Business News and continued there until she retired in 1963. After retiring, she was and advisor to the National Commission on Urban Affairs on the subject of housing costs. She also advised the International Executive Service Corps about construction costs in Iran. In 1957, she was the first woman to join the American Association of Cost Engineers, where she eventually became the first woman to be awarded and Honorary Life Membership. In 1979, ASCE awarded her and honorary membership in recognition of her achievements.

Elsie Eaves died on March 27, 1983 in Roslyn, New York.

MOTHER OF MODERN MANAGEMENT

L

illian Moller was born in Oakland, California on May 24, 1878. In 1900, she received her Bachelor's degree in Literature from the University of California at Berkeley.

Two years later, she earned her Master's degree in Literature. In 1915, Lillian earned her Doctoral degree in Psychology from Brown University.

Eleven years before receiving her Ph.D., Lillian married Frank Gilbreth. Together, they had 12 children. Two of the children went on to write two books, "Cheaper by the Dozen" and "Belles on Their Toes," about their life in the Gilbreth household. Frank and Lillian devoted themselves to finding the "one best way" to perform any task in order to increase efficiency and productivity in industry. These studies are called time and motion studies.

In June 1924, Frank died suddenly of a heart attack. Lillian continued the work they had begun, writing four books and teaching industrial engineering courses at various schools, including Purdue, Bryn Mawr, and Rutgers. Lillian Gilbreth has accomplished many things. She was the first person to integrate psychology into concepts of industrial management.

During the Great Depression, President Hoover asked her to join the Emergency Committee for Unemployment. While on this committee, she created a successful nationwide program, "Share the Work," that created many new jobs. During World War II, Lillian worked has a consultant for the government. She oversaw the conversion of factories to military bases and war plants. Lillian is credited with many inventions.

These inventions include the foot-pedal trash can and refrigerator door shelves.

During her lifetime, Lillian Gilbreth received many honors. At the age of 89, she was the first woman to be elected into the National Academy of Engineering. She was also issued membership number 1 by the Society of Women Engineers. Lillian Gilbreth died on January 2, 1972 in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 94.

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LILLIAN GILBRETH

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED CONTRIBUTOR TO AERODYNAMICS AND AUTOMATIC THEORY CONTROL

I

rmgard Flugge-Lotz was born on July 16, 1903 in Hameln, Germany. In 1923, she graduated from high school and enrolled in Technical University in Hanover where she studied applied mathematics. She was the only woman in many of her classes.

In 1927, she earned the degree of Diplom-Ingenieur, and in 1929, she became a Doktor-Ingenieur. She began working at the Aerodynamische Versuchsanstalt (AVA) in Gottingen, a research institute. However, she was not able to do research full time - she was asked to devote half of her time to clerical work, leaving the other half for research. She worked closely with the leading German aerodynamicists of the time, Ludwig Prandlt and Albert Betz, director of the institute.

Before Lotz's arrival, Prandlt had been working on the equation for his lifting line theory for the spanwise lift distribution of an airplane wing. Applying her mathematical skills, Lotz solved the equation, and developed a relatively convenient method for practical use. Lotz was then promoted to head of this dominant group dealing with aerodynamics. In 1938, Irmgard married Dr. Wilhelm Flugge, a civil engineer. He had just accepted a position as a department head at the Deutche Versuchsanstalt fur Luftfahrt (DVL) in Berlin.

The leaders of the DVL quickly became aware of the talent possessed by his wife and offered her a position as consultant in aerodynamics and flight dynamics. There, she began her career in automatic control theory, developing the theory of discontinuous, or on-off control systems. In 1944, the Flugges moved their DLV activities to Saulgau.

When Germany surrendered (in World War II) the next year, the Flugges found themselves in the French zone of occupation. In 1947, they both accepted offers to join the newly established ONERA (French National Office for Aeronautical Research) in Paris. Flugge-Lotz served as chief of a research group in aerodynamics until 1948 and published papers in both automatic control theory and aerodynamics, in which she discussed the problems arising from the increased speed of aircrafts.

In 1948, the Flugges left France and came to the United States to teach at Stanford University. Her husband was hired as a full-time professor, and Irmgard was hired as a lecturer in engineering mechanics and research supervisor. She undertook the guidance of Ph. D. dissertation research in aerodynamic theory. In the 1949, FluggeLotz taught her first Stanford course and later introduced a year- long sequence of courses in mathematical hydro- and aerodynamics for first-year graduate students.

Flugge-Lotz continued to show strong interest in fluid mechanics, numerical methods and automatic controls.

At Stanford, she developed new courses, guided the research of a succession of Ph.D. candidates, and co-authored research reports with her students. The number of her students had grown so much that by 1951 she established a weekly fluid mechanics seminar at which faculty and students met to discuss ideas. It became evident that Flugge-Lotz was carrying-on the duties of a full-time professor without official recognition. This injustice was alleviated in 1960 when Flugge-Lotz was the only female delegate from the United States at the first Congress of the International Federation of Automatic Control in Moscow. Before school opened for fall quarter, Irmgard was appointed full professor in both engineering mechanics, and aeronautics and astronautics.

She had become Stanford's first female professor in engineering. In 1970, she was awarded the Achievement award by the Society of Women Engineers. She was the first woman elected to be a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1970, and in 1971 she was the first woman to be selected to give the prestigious von Karman Lecture. Though she retired in 1968, Flugge-Lotz continued her research on satellite control, heat transfer, and drag of high-speed vehicles.

After a fulfilling career of teaching, research and the publication of over fifty technical papers, Flugge-Lotz died in Stanford Hospital in 1974; she was 70 years old. She had indeed lived a "life which would never be boring." Appropriately, her exciting contributions to the fields of engineering and mathematics will never go overlooked.

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FIRST COMPUTER PROGRAMMER OF HARVARD MARK I COMPUTER

G GRACE MURRAY HOPPER UNITED STATES NAVY

race Brewster Murray was born on December 9, 1906 in New York City. In 1928 she graduated from Vassar College with a BA in mathematics and physics and joined the Vassar faculty.

While an instructor at Vassar, she continued her studies in mathematics at Yale University, where she earned an MA in 1930 and a PhD in 1934. In 1930 Grace Murray married Vincent Foster Hopper. (He died in 1945 during World War II, and they had no children.). In 1943, she joined the United States Naval Reserve to assist her country in its wartime challenges.

In 1946, she resigned from Vassar to become a research fellow in engineering and applied physics at Harvard's Computation Laboratory. In 1949 she joined the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation as a Senior Mathematician. Admiral Hopper took military leave from this corporation from 1967 until her retirement in 1971.

Perseverance was on of the personality traits that made Grace Murray Hopper a great leader.

When she came to the Cruft Laboratory, she immediately encountered the Mark I computer. She became the third person to program the Mark I. She received the Naval Ordnance Development Award for her pioneering applications programming success on the Mark I, Mark II, and Mark III computers. Throughout her years in academia and industry, Grace was a consultant and lecturer for the United States Naval Reserve.

After a seven-month retirement, she returned to active duty in the Navy in 1967 as a leader in the Naval Data Automation Command. Upon her retirement from the Navy in 1986 with the rank of Rear Admiral, she immediately became a senior consultant to Digital Equipment Corporation, and remained there several years, working well into her eighties.

Admiral Hopper believed that the major obstacle to computers in non-scientific and business applications was the dearth of programmers for these far from user-friendly new machines. The key to opening up new worlds to computing, she knew, was the development and refinement of programming languages - languages that could be understood and used by people who were neither mathematicians nor computer experts. It took several years for her to demonstrate that this idea was feasible.

Grace Murray Hopper died in her sleep in Arlington, Virginia on January 1, 1992.

During her academic, industry, and military tenure, Admiral Hopper's numerous talents were apparent. She had outstanding technical skills, was a whiz at marketing, repeatedly demonstrated her business and political acumen, and never gave up on her good ideas.

FIRST WOMAN MEMBER OF ILLUMINATING ENGINEERING SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA

M.

Gertrude Rand was born on October 29, 1886 in Brooklyn, New York. She graduated from Cornell University in 1908 with a Bachelor's degree in experimental psychology. Three years later, she earned her Master's and Doctoral degrees in psychology from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.

Holland TunnelWhen she married Clarence Ferree in 1918, they began doing research on how lighting affects how people see color. Gertrude served on the National Research Council's Committee on Industrial Lighting from 1924-1927. Gertrude and her husband then accepted positions at the Wilmer Opthalamological Institute of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland. Gertrude held positions of associate professor of research ophtalmology, associate professor of physiological optics and associate director of the research laboratory in physiological optics while working in Johns Hopkins University. They remained there until her husband's death in 1943.

While at Johns Hopkins Gertrude worked on the design for lighting the Holland Tunnel under the Hudson River between New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey. She also developed vision standards for airplane pilots and ship lookouts during World War II. From 1943 to her retirement in 1957, Gertrude was a research associate at the Knapp Foundation of the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University.

In 1952, she became the first female fellow of the Illuminating Society of North America. Gertrude received the society's Gold Medal award in 1963 in recognition of her contributions to the body of knowledge about the interactions between lighting and vision. In 1959, Gertrude was the first woman to receive the Optical Society of America's Edgar D. Tillyer Medal in recognition of distinguished work in the field of vision.

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M. GERTRUDE RAND

KNAPP FOUNDATION OF THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS

FOUNDER OF HOME ECONOMICS AND FIRST WOMAN ADMITTED TO MIT

E

llen Henrietta Swallow was born on December 3, 1842 in Dunstable, Massachusetts. In 1868, she was accepted to Vassar College and graduated with her bachelor's degree two years later. She was then accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a "special student" and graduated with her second bachelor's degree in 1873. Also in 1873, she received her master's degree from Vassar College in Chemistry.

After getting her master's, she continued her studies at MIT for two more years. She did not get her Ph.D. because the professors at MIT did not want the first Ph.D. in Chemistry from MIT to go to a woman. In 1875, Ellen married Robert Richards, who was the head of the mining engineering department at MIT. Her work with her husband on the chemistry of ore analysis led to her being the first woman elected to be a member of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering.

The next year, she opened the Women's Laboratory at MIT, where women were taught basic and industrial chemistry, biology, and mineralogy. Also in 1876, she became the head of the science section of the Society to Encourage Studies at Home. In 1890, Ellen helped to open the New England Kitchen in Boston. This was a place that offered low-cost and nutritious food to working class families and instructed them in food preparation.

Three years later, she created another "kitchen" of the same type called the Rumford Kitchen at the World's Columbian Expo in Chicago. Ellen was always lobbying for providing school lunches and for an introduction of courses in domestic science in public schools in Boston. In 1899, she organized a summer conference to define the standards for teacher training and certification in home economics. The people who attended this conference eventually formed the American Home Economics Association (AHEA) and elected Ellen president in 1908.

Two years after becoming president of the AHEA, Ellen started the Journal of Home Economics. She was awarded an honorary Ph.D. from Smith College in 1910 also. Ellen Richards died on March 30, 1911 in Boston. She was 68.

ELLEN HENRIETTA SWALLOW RICHARDS MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

FEMALE CHIEF ENGINEER OF BUILDING THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE

C EMILY WARREN ROEBLING

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

onceived by her father-in-law, John A. Roebling, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the largest engineering projects in America's history. In the late 1800's, there was no greater challenge than spanning the East River from Brooklyn to New York.

So, in 1869, John Roebling began designing the Brooklyn Bridge. Emily became involved in the Brooklyn Bridge project when her father-in-law died and her husband, Washington, took over as master bridge builder. In order to help her husband as much as she could, Emily started studying topics in civil engineering - math, strength of materials, stress analysis, and cable construction. In 1872, Washington came down with an illness that left him bed-ridden and partially paralyzed.

Now, Washington had to rely on Emily to carry out plans for completion of the bridge.

Emily became such a major participant in the project that many people began to believe she was Chief Engineer. In addition to answering questions about the bridge from officials and contractors, Emily also kept all the records, answered Washington's mail, delivered messages and requests to the bridge office, and represented Washington at social functions.

One interesting story, although historians disagree on its validity*, reports that Emily attended a meeting of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) on behalf of her husband. Questions had come up about her husband's ability to head the Brooklyn Bridge project. Supposedly, Emily delivered a moving speech at the ASCE meeting on behalf of her husband that ensured his position as Chief Engineer.

Emily Roebling never planned on becoming an engineer. However, she accomplished what could only be describes as a huge engineering feat for that time. *Personal communications with historian Don Sayenga on August 31 and October 18, 2015.

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FAMOUS AMERICAN CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT

N NORA STANTON

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

ora Stanton was born in Basingstoke, England on September 30, 1883. As a small child, her family moved to New York. In 1905, she was the first woman to graduate from Cornell University with a Civil Engineering degree. That same year, she became the first female member, with junior status, of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) After graduating from college, Nora worked for the American Bridge Company and for the New York City Board of Water Supply. While taking some classes in electricity and mathematics at Columbia University, she worked as a research assistant for Lee De Forest, who invented the radio vacuum tube. They eventually married and Nora worked for his company until 1909, when the two separated. They divorced in 1912. Nora returned to New York City and worked as an assistant engineer and chief draftsman at the Radley Steel Construction Company. She also served as an assistant engineer for the New York Public Service Commission.

In 1914, she began working part-time as an architect and developer on Long Island.

Nora applied to the ASCE in 1916 for an upgrade to associate membership since she had passed the age limit for junior status. Her request was denied. She filed a lawsuit against the ASCE, which gained notoriety despite the fact that she eventually lost.

In 1919, Nora married a marine architect, Morgan Barney. In 1923, they moved to Connecticut, where she became a real estate developer.

Nora, like her grandmother Elizabeth Cady Stanton, was involved in work for world peace and women's rights. In 1915, she became the president of the Women's Political Union. She participated in the efforts for a federal Equal Rights Amendment. In her later years, she remained politically active, writing pamphlets such as Woman as Human Beings and World Peace Through a Peoples Parliament.

Nora Stanton died in Greenwich, Connecticut, on January 18, 1971.

INVENTOR AND PIONEER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POLLUTION

M MARY WALTON

INDEPENDENT INVENTOR

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ary Walton, an independent inventor, was not one to stand idly by choking on the smog that the factories produced during the Industrial Revolution. In 1879, Mary patented a device that minimized the smoke that was pouring into the air. It was designed to deflect the emissions into water tanks where they were later flushed into the cities' sewage system.

While living in Manhattan, Mary was particularly concerned with the pollution. After cleaning up the air, she moved onto the noise pollution that seemed to fill the air as well as the heads of New Yorkers. Working in her basement, Walton built a model train set and began working to cut down on the clanging of the trolleys. She built a wooden box, painted it with tar, lined it with cotton, and filled it with sand. The vibration from the rails was absorbed.

On February 8, 1891, after putting her invention under the struts that supported the city trains, she received a patent for her work. She gave the city some peace of mind by selling the rights of her patent to the New York City Metropolitan railroad.

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THE ENGINEER WHO CHANGED THE NATURE OF RAILWAY TRAVEL.

O

live Dennis was educated at Goucher College in Maryland and Columbia University in New York City. She later taught math in the Baltimore City schools for ten years.

Dennis was the second woman to graduate from Cornell University with a degree in civil engineering. She also held a master's degree in math and astronomy from Columbia University. Finding work as an engineer was hard for Olive because she was a woman. Finally, in September 1920, she began work as draftsman in the engineering department for the Baltimore and Ohio (B & O) Railroad.

In November of 1921, Olive was designated as the engineer of service. This was mainly due to an effort to keep the support of female passengers as cars and intercity buses became more common. Her responsibility was to improve passenger service on the B&O. For the next 30 years, Olive contributed to passenger comfort in various ways. She invented and held the patent for the Dennis ventilator, which was in the windows of passenger cars and could be controlled by passengers. She also played a major role in air-conditioning the coaches, dimming overhead lights, reclining individual seats, and creating stain-resistant upholstery.

Olive Dennis became the first female member of the American Railway Engineering Association. She is one of the most notable women in the railroad industry. She never felt gender stood in the way of advancement. Dennis's achievements noted her as a remarkable woman in her time and now.

OLIVE DENNIS B & O RAILROAD

FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL BANK AND FIRST WOMAN MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

K KATE GLEASON

NATIONAL BANK, AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

ate Gleason was born on November 25, 1865, in Rochester, New York. Although she didn't have any thorough engineering training , Kate attended Cornell University as a "special student" in 1884 to study mechanical arts. She also studied part-time at the Sibley College of Engraving and the Mechanics Institute. Kate began her career at her father's machine-tool factory.

By 1893, she and her father had designed and perfected a machine that could produce beveled gears quickly and cheaply. With Kate's help, the factory became the leading U.S. producer of gear cutting machinery prior to World War I. Due in large part to her reputation in the machine-tool business, Kate became the first woman elected to membership in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in 1918. Kate was an active member and in 1930, she served as ASME's representative to the World Power Conference in Germany.

During World War I, the president of the First Bank of Rochester resigned to join the military. From 1917 to 1919, Kate Gleason served as the president of the bank. She was the first woman to serve as president of a national bank. Kate had many business interests. She developed a new method for pouring concrete and, in 1921, she began selling low-cost concrete box houses in East Rochester, New York. As a result of her work, Kate became the first female member of the American Concrete Institute.

Kate Gleason died in her hometown of Rochester, New York on January 9, 1933. She left an estate of $1.4 million for charity and education. One of the beneficiaries was the Rochester Institute of Technology, who named their College of Engineering after her.

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THE NEXT GENERATION AND THEIR PERCEPTION OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING

By EMMA FEARN, Software Engineer at GE Aviation Systems Ltd.

A

s my career as a Software Engineer progresses, I’m starting to notice more and more that I don’t have many female friends. I look around my office and I see a wave of masculine heads bobbing around in the surrounding cubes, walking between the aisles, in the line for coffee. Looking closer, dotted between those male heads I can occasionally spot a woman, hair tied back, and her earrings sparkling under the fluorescent office lighting.

Of course I’m exaggerating to get my point across, but it is true, there aren’t many women around me in my office. I am just one of a wave of interns that started at GE Aviation in July of this year, but of the approximately 35 software, hardware and systems engineering interns that started,

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only 4 of us ended up being women. The worst part about this is it’s exactly what I expected.

After being at University for two years prior to this placement, I was one of 3 girls out of around 90 students over 4 different courses, and was not surprised to see the same situation within the workplace.

I must state however that this article is not about being ‘oppressed’ as a female in the computing industry, I have never had the experience of being treated differently in comparison to my male counterparts, nor do I dislike the office environment I work in. From personal experience there is not a lack of females due to the way they are treated, in my opinion the stunning lack of women is in fact caused by poor education and stigma associated with being a female engineer.

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After recently taking a trip to the famous home of codebreaking, Bletchley Park, I came to realise that modern day media perceptions of women in the technology industry are leaps and bounds above the opinions held in the Second World War (Yes I know that was 70 years ago but we have to start somewhere, right?).

A quote from Bryony Norburn, a PHD student from the University of Buckingham writes that: “Initially the men in charge had assumed that women were incapable of operating the Bombe cryptanalysis machines and later the Colossus code-breaking computers – until a group of Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wrens) were brought in.”

As the years progress, powerful women in computer science have been behind some of the most important advancements made in the field, and I bet not one girl

below University education can name one. Grace Hopper, born in 1906 developed the first compiler for a programming language which lead to the creation of COBOL, one of the first high level languages ever created – granted, unless you were already interested in technology you probably wouldn’t have known about her either, but why? I’m sure everyone reading this article has heard of the popular auction site eBay? A woman named Meg Whitman has been the CEO of eBay since 1988, and took the company from having 30 employees to having over 9000 worldwide at the time of her resignation in late 2007.

Harvard Business Review named her the eighth-best-performing CEO of the past decade. Surely people who take business studies know about Whitman’s overwhelming success? I highly doubt it.

My basic knowledge of computer programming languages? Sure I was able to discuss the benefits of using HTML to design web pages, but I didn’t actually know how to use HTML. The UK Government actually improved the computing curriculum in 2014 to contain programming fundamentals, but made it optional so the schools are not even required to teach the revised sections.

Even if the computing classes of today did teach practical skills, this doesn’t mean anyone would enjoy the process of learning about them. Therefore are we forced to take a different approach and turn to social media and television for this type of education? Trying to make technology more applicable to the modern teenager seems like a monumental task, although a large percentage of young girls

“Initially the men in charge had assumed that women were incapable of operating the Bombe cryptanalysis machines and later the Colossus code-breaking computers – until a group of Women’s Royal Naval Service (Wrens) were brought in.”

these days use applications such as Facebook and Twitter, they are never stimulated during the educational process to think about what actually goes in to the creation of the services they are using.

It seems like the media refuse to report on the successes of females within the technology industry. Research from Accenture conducted in April 2015 reports that 60% of 12 year-old girls in the UK and Ireland believe that STEM subjects are too difficult to learn.[1] During my internship at GE Aviation I am volunteering in the Girls Get Set programme, which aims to go into schools and work with groups of girls in Years 7 – 12 and show them the wonders of technology.

Using readily available equipment such as Arduinos, we will end up working alongside the girls on a technological project based on a specific theme such as the Olympic Games, where they will have to build and program a robot using Lego Mindstorms to compete in different events.

My goal for the future is to see more girls coming into STEM subjects and being able to showcase their true potential without feeling as if they are going to be surpassed by men or ignored by history when they achieve something amazing.

I am proud to be part of the ever changing industry that is Computer Science and Software Engineering, and I hope the girls of the future generations will be too.

Commissioned

by Accenture and conducted

by Loudhouse, a specialist research division of the Octopus Group, the online research covered a total of 1,571 girls of secondary school age (11-18) and 2,509 young women (19-23) across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Samples of 535 parents and 112 teachers were also taken to determine the influencing factors for girls in their academic subject choices.

[1]

However, maybe teaching young girls about powerful women in the industry won’t convince them to take interest in engineering?

What about computing classes in general? My personal experience of ICT GCSE and A-Level IT was more than a miserable one. For 3 hours a week I was tasked with creating a basic spreadsheet and documenting the evidence, compiling it into a word processed document to get my grade. For one part of my A-Level I remember spending 6 weeks learning about what is required to make an online shopping service and what guidelines a code of conduct should contain. This is where the problem lies. I was taught nothing about practical uses of technology.

Where is my basic networking?

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INVESTING IN WORKER SAFETY THROUGH WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY

By JESSICA STOIKES, Associate Editor of Asphalt Contractor & Pavement Maintenance and Reconstruction

A NEW VIEW Display visors on hardhats, such as the Daqri Smart Helmet, can dynamically project relevant information onto the surfaces of objects in the wearer’s fi eld of vision.

Photo Source: Equipment World

KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST TRENDS IN WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY CAN BE OVERWHELMING. IT SEEMS THERE ARE NEW PRODUCTS EVERY WEEK THAT CAN HELP WORKERS STAY SAFE WHILE ON THE JOBSITE, AND FOR GOOD REASON. AROUND THE WORLD, WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS KILL ONE PERSON AND INJURE ANOTHER 153 OTHERS EVERY 15 SECONDS.

“I

t’s not acceptable that we can push a button and have anything in the world delivered to our doorstep, but that people can still get hurt and even die needlessly when they go to work,” says Peter E. Raymond, CEO of Human Condition Safety (HCS) In response to that, HCS is creating a suite of tools that helps workers and their managers prevent injuries before they happen.

Incorporating wearable devices, artificial intelligence, building information modeling and cloud computing, the product suite is designed for the industries that

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hold the highest risk for workers, including manufacturing, energy, warehousing and distribution, and foremost, construction.

HCS conducted its first pilot project at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in 2015 and is currently in its second pilot project at Citi Field ballpark. HCS will continue to conduct pilots in multiple locations and with various industries throughout 2016. These pilots are realworld trials to identify leading indicators of potential injuries, and to demonstrate how HCS’s technology creates measureable improvements to reduce the

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frequency and severity of workrelated injuries.

AIG recently announced it has made a strategic investment in HCS, and as one of the world’s largest workers’ compensation insurers, the partnership just makes sense.

Wearables are typically miniature electronic devices that are worn under or on top of clothing or are somehow attached to the body; they can even be part of clothing.

They capture data and provide feedback about the wearer.

HCS creates a comprehensive solution to workplace risk, with a platform that enables workers to

“We will continue to look for more opportunities with firms like HCS that set the pace for mitigating and managing risks in ways unthinkable just a few years ago.”

- AIG Commercial Insurance CEO Rob Schimek.

SMART HARDHATS

Heads-up displays will project design models on the jobsite

SMART VESTS

Tech will track your location in case you aren’t seen

reduce injuries and employers to improve operational efficiency. The technology can detect when a worker carries too much weight, makes a “bad bend,” or enters an area that puts them at risk for injury because of environmental conditions or getting too close to dangerous equipment.

“AIG’s embrace of innovative, disruptive technologies is opening new ways for us to strategically partner with our clients,”

says AIG Commercial Insurance CEO Rob Schimek. “In this case, the technology from HCS will help enable us to work with clients to make their worksites safer places for their employees and help reduce our clients’ overall cost of risk. We will continue to look for more opportunities with firms like HCS that set the pace for mitigating and managing risks in ways unthinkable just a few years ago.”

WEARABLES ALREADY WORKING While HCS is working to incorporate technology into every aspect of a construction project from cradle to gate, some companies are already pushing wearable technologies that make on the ground construction workers safer right now.

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The SiteZone Proximity Warning System (PWS).

Photo Source:: Proximity Warning

logs the incident. SiteZone's developer, OnGarde, has also now launched its OverSite product which transfers all logged data to a secure website. And since each RFID transponder can be individually identified, managers can identify repeat offenders and target further safety training.

Many companies looking to bring more wearable tech to the jobsite are focusing on getting their innovations into workers’ existing gear to boost adoption. As a result, in the near future, construction workers may find that common assets, such as hardhats, safety vests and even the tools they carry, are being infused with new capabilities.

transponder on their hard hat or sleeve, and a small unit is fitted to the vehicle.

SiteZone PWS then produces a detection zone, or bubble, around a vehicle, machine or even a restricted area. This invisible radio frequency field completely surrounds the vehicle and is used to detect the presence of the wearable transponders.

As a result there are now “smart” hard hats that offer the worker a clear visor that can display 3D visual overlays in the wearer’s field of view. It also features a 360° wireless camera, allowing a full view of the worker’s surroundings.

SiteZone uses the analogy of a "safety bubble" to help relay the message of their technology. The bubble is the danger zone that pedestrians should avoid to prevent accidental collision. When the detection zone is breached, the personnel wearing the SiteZone transponder has "burst the bubble."

Safer safety vests are also becoming more common as many vests will now be equipped with GPS systems to monitor worker location. These safety vests along with new proximity warning systems are real game changers when it comes to jobsite safety.

SiteZone Proximity Warning System (PWS), is an audible and visual warning system designed to reduce the risk of vehicle personnel collisions and can be used anywhere the proximity of people and vehicles working together is of concern. And according to OSHA over 10% of all construction fatalities are related to workers being struck by an object, so this technology just makes sense.

The devices use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to transport data.

These tiny electronic chips transfer information from a transponder to a receptor. Pedestrians wear a small RFID 140

The machine operator is immediately alerted to their presence and can take the appropriate action. When this occurs, both the driver and the operator receive warnings through vibration, audio or visual alerts. This two-way alarm is important since it is the responsibility of both the driver and the pedestrian to avoid a collision. SiteZone also offers optional external alarms that can be placed on top of equipment to sound in the event of a breach.

The “Don’t Burst the Bubble” message also provides an easily memorable visual reminder to workers not to breach the danger zone of any vehicle or heavy plant, useful in staff inductions and training programs.

Importantly, if a pedestrian does breach a safety zone, SiteZone automatically

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Through use of this technology, workers are becoming inherently more aware of the risks they encounter every day and are adapting their behavior to protect themselves from potentially dangerous situations.

The Sitezone PWS can be deployed onto a wide range of vehicles and machinery across multiple disciplines. It can also be used to tag critical or valuable assets to prevent vehicle collisions or create exclusion zones around no entry areas and hazardous machinery.

THE FUTURE OF SAFETY HCS is not the only tech company developing workplace wearables and AIG is not the only insurer interested.

A survey reported by Accenture last May said that that nearly two-thirds of insurers expect wearable technologies to have a significant impact on the industry within two years.

John Hancock Insurance made news last year by offering its life insurance policyholders a free fitness band to track their health and be rewarded with lower premiums. Some insurers have experimented with Google glasses.

Wearables have been gaining traction outside the traditional workplace as well. For several years, athletes have been wearing sensors that measure and help them analyze and improve their performance. Some employers and military leaders use wearables to track employees’ and soldiers’ whereabouts, movements and fitness with an eye on improving productivity.

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ENGINEERS BRIDGE THE DIVIDE BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY ONE OF THE MANY REASONS WOMEN ARE UNDER-REPRESENTED IN “TECH-SECTOR” ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES SUCH AS SOFTWARE, MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, COMPUTER AND MECHATRONICS ENGINEERING IS BECAUSE WE’VE DONE A TERRIBLE JOB CONVEYING HOW ENGINEERS CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY IN MEANINGFUL WAYS.

By MARY WELLS Professor of Engineering in the Mechanical and Mechatronics Department at the University of Waterloo in Canada.

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any women, as studies have shown, prefer to enter professions where they can have a beneficial impact on people and society. This preference affects the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields in many ways, and partially explains why engineering disciplines, which have obvious societal benefit such as biomedical engineering and environmental engineering, also have the highest female participation rates (40 percent).

The tech-sector engineering disciplines, conversely, struggle to sustain a meager 15 percent female participation.

Along with many others in my profession, I believe a primary reason tech-sector engineering disciplines aren’t on young women’s list of possible professions is because the current narrative regarding engineering is anything but inclusive — and rarely shows how our profession positively impacts society.

Our children and youth have not been getting the right message about the societal value of engineering and, because they represent the very beginning of the engineering talent pipeline, without a better understanding at a young age of what engineers

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“do” for society, they are unlikely to make the educational or personal choices that lead to an engineering career path.

NEW NARRATIVES NEEDED I see this disconnect about engineers’ societal value on a regular basis. My team and I at the University of Waterloo in Canada run one of North America’s largest engineering outreach programs.

We conduct programs for local elementary and high schools, so we see firsthand what our youth think of engineering.

Ask girls in grade 4-6 what an engineer does and there is a good chance she will draw you a man in overalls and a cap, driving a train. Yet ask her what a doctor or teacher does for a living, and she will draw capable women with stethoscopes helping patients or reading to children. However, after they spend even a few hours with Waterloo engineering students, these girls develop a new perception of engineers based on this new narrative, as the pictures below illustrate.

This lack of good engineering narrative has been going on for a long time. Our surveys show that most women entering university for an engineering education do so not because they heard

The fingerprints of engineers are embedded in everything we use, even if we can’t see them.

good things about engineering in their daily lives, but rather, they choose Narratives are important.

They frame our understanding of our world, our possibilities and ourselves. Narratives can have a powerful influence over people and their impression of a culture both within the group and outside it. Harmful narratives lead to stereotyping and prejudice.

Engaging, meaningful narratives lead to clarity and understanding.

Unfortunately, in the engineering profession, especially the tech world, a powerful and divisive narrative is already in place that continues to shape our history, the people that enter our profession and our culture. And it’s hurting us.

“This is What an Engineer Looks Like” drawings by girls in grades 4-6.

SOME EXAMPLES OF OUR EXISTING NEGATIVE NARRATIVE INCLUDE: •

Engineers don’t have social skills

•

Engineers are geeks

•

Engineers are men

•

Engineers are not good communicators

•

Engineers have no people skills

•

Engineers are not creative

•

Engineers have no fashion sense

•

Engineers are introverted

•

Engineers are smart

•

Engineers can fix almost anything

•

Engineers are good at math

People’s beliefs based on the current engineering narrative determine their attitudes, behaviors, and choices, even if these perceptions are completely disconnected from reality. Ultimately, these narratives shape the choices people make by communicating to them where they belong.

Look around you. In most parts of the developed world, the makers of technology are disconnected from the result. Our children play with their iPads, our grandparents post on Facebook, our mothers Instagram their yoga class and coding, thankfully, is now in the elementary school curriculum.

Yet the software program that is helping your aunt monitor her diabetes, or the mechatronics technology that is improving prosthetics for amputee veterans or the data scientists unraveling the wisdom buried in big data so energy and water use can be decreased is rarely positioned as the work of engineers.

This leads to a situation where, in developed countries, clean water, computers and complex transportation and infrastructure systems are taken for granted — yet the people who designed and created them are absent. As I tell my engineering students, the fingerprints of engineers are embedded in everything we use, even if we can’t see them.

TECHNICAL AMBASSADORS Over the last 50 years, the role of engineers in society has evolved.

No longer is an engineer just the technical specialist who does only complex calculations. Despite media portrayal of engineers as “geeks,” (something we are proud of) we need to acknowledge the engineering profession is integral in the improvement of the human condition. In many cases, engineers are now the technical ambassadors that bridge the divide between technology and society. Our work has purpose and engineering is a meaningful career.

Engineers are contributing to shaping our future, so I challenge all engineers to tell the stories of why engineers matter to the world and of the good work they do. Let’s change our narrative together so we can attract more good people to our profession.

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WOMEN LEADERS IN CONSTRUCTION: THE EVEN STICKIER LADDER

By SHIRLEY RAMOS, Executive and Sales Coaching, Talent and Leadership Development, Gender Strategist and Thought Leadership

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n a recent article, Women Leaders in Construction: The Sticky Floor, we explored a few of the issues that keep potential women leaders in the construction industry from considering leadership opportunities, or at least cautious and skeptical that they have a real opportunity at moving up the ladder. Yet, many still strive to navigate the path to more responsibility, the ability to lead a team, and the possibility of making an impact in an industry that they can be passionate about.

For a small percentage of women construction leaders, climbing the ladder to superintendent, project manager and higher seems like a natural progression. Titles like senior project engineer and even C-level positions such as partner or

owner become realities. For many, the ladder can seem even stickier than the “sticky floor� that they emerged from. The commitment and decision to work towards these decision-making roles can be fraught with barriers, obstacles and uncertainties - keeping strong potential leaders frustrated and tethered to the ladder.

Susan, an assistant PM in a large commercial construction company, had been hoping to become a PM for several years. Her conversations with her supervisor on the topic were few and somewhat indirect.

Having worked for the company for over a decade, she had watched the project managers and understood the responsibilities required. She had even stepped in to manage large projects in the absence of the project

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manager - followed by accolades of what a great job she had done. She was being noticed, but still there was no serious talk of a promotion. Her inquiries about the opportunity were met with hesitation and another skill to master or the talk of it not being quite the right time. Susan had no idea how to pull her foot off the sticky rung that she was on.

I have heard Susan's story a number of times, and from many different women in the construction field.

She saw no clear path ahead of her.

Mixed messages, confusion and indirect conversations kept Susan from being able to attain a position that she had the skills and ability to do. So what keeps the Susans, who have so much to offer, stuck on the sticky ladder?

1

THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS STILL A MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY

This isn't a judgment; it is a reality. We expect to see men managing our job sites and although we continue to see more women in construction leadership roles, still, when a woman is in charge, we notice. This is a good thing. Although the evolution may be slow, the best way to create a stronger perception that women belong in construction leadership roles is to see more women achieving success in these roles.

2

THE LEADERSHIP CRITERIA AND EXPECTATIONS ARE UNCLEAR

This phenomena isn't specific to the construction industry, but it severely impacts women's ability to move up the ladder as construction leaders.

Because there are no clear rules or defined steps in most construction companies to secure a project manager or other senior level position, it is difficult to know how to get ahead. A female estimator looking to move into project management shared with me her frustration, "If I knew the rules to the game, I could play it. Every time I think I understand what they are looking for from me, it seems to change, or there seems to be something else I need to do or something I am missing. I really don't know what they want from me to get this promotion!" The pathway may be equally as undefined for men, but they are more likely to be judged on their “potential” for the role and, as a result, the likelihood of being promoted is stronger. Because women are the more non-traditional choice for construction corporate or site leadership, they may be expected to perform and prove that they can do the job required, therefore keeping them stuck to the ladder rungs more securely and for longer periods of time.

3

MEN AND WOMEN COMMUNICATE AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS DIFFERENTLY

The fact that only 9% of the people working in the construction industry are women infers that the majority of people making leadership promotion and advancement decisions in the industry are men. Again, this is not a judgment; it is a reality. We also know that men and women communicate and build relationships differently. This means that women and men perceive and understand things through different filters and lenses.

There is research supporting the idea that women build understanding and communicate through face-to-face interactions. Women seek understanding through conversations and build strong relationships verbally. The same research proposes that men build relationships through doing things together or “side by side.” This communication style says “come along with me and we will get to know each other” and build trust by spending time together. We can see how these two different styles of communication and building understanding can keep women from connecting. Social considerations around how women and men should or shouldn’t interact in the workplace impact how much time men can spend “side by side” with women within the organization. I would suggest this is part of the reason that men want to see that a woman can handle the job - not because he thinks that she is not able to - but because he has a limited understanding of how women (as opposed to men) work and needs to better understand.

The good news is that there are strategies and actions that both women and men can consider as we work to increase the raw numbers of women in both the industry and in leadership roles within the industry.

AWARENESS. Increasing the level of awareness that there could be communication barriers and obstacles for women in the industry can be a game changer. If we know that communication and understanding challenges can exist, we begin to listen differently, and we observe and analyze interactions. The stats and data become compelling and we are willing to not only admit that the challenges exist, but that there are viable solutions to work toward.

CREATE STRUCTURE AND DEVELOP CRITERIA FOR PROMOTION AND ADVANCEMENT. Making the path to promotion less ambiguous is a positive step in any organization and it supports both genders as they look to grow professionally.

However, for women that are looking for advancement in the industry, understanding the required skills and experience provides them with both a roadmap to success and the ability to demonstrate the performance required to be seen as a viable candidate for a traditionally male role. The more criteria-based the path, the easier it is for a supervisor to coach and evaluate readiness—and for the potential leader to manage the professional growth required for promotion.

IMPLEMENT AND HONOR THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS. This is not a “them vs us” issue. This isn't about men thinking that women shouldn't be leaders. This isn't about women not having the skills. This is the evolution of how we have historically experienced the construction industry. The opportunities opening up for women are phenomenal and the experience, insight and leadership skills that women are bringing to the industry are changing the game. We need to be aware and patient through the process and understand that all change management processes are messy, full of awkward conversations and unsettling. The prize at the end makes it all worth it.

To potential women leaders in construction who want to get a “leg up” on the stickier ladder, the key is to communicate, ask for clarity, work through the issues, acknowledge that this is a marathon and not a sprint and ... more than anything else... continue to climb that ladder powerfully through each and every sticky rung!

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WOMEN IN RAIL: CLOSING THE GENDER GAP

By GARY PETERS, feature writer for NRI Digital

WOMEN IN RAIL'S INAUGURAL STUDY ON GENDER DIVERSITY IN THE UK RAIL INDUSTRY HAS REVEALED THAT JUST OVER 16% OF ROLES ARE FILLED BY WOMEN. HOW CAN MORE WOMEN BE ENCOURAGED TO JOIN AND FLOURISH IN THE INDUSTRY, AND WITH THE SECTOR'S SKILLS GAP GROWING, IS GREATER GENDER DIVERSITY NEEDED TO MAINTAIN STANDARDS?

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aunched in 2012, Women in Rail has a multi-faceted mission: to highlight the role of women in the rail industry and improve not only diversity, but also the industry's image among young girls and women.

The group's founder, Adeline Ginn, is a rare success story, having fought her way to the top, going against the perceived macho culture and standing out as a model for hard work and perseverance.

"I've worked in the rail industry for nearly 17 years and I've always been acutely aware of the low representation of women," says Ginn.

"I've always felt supported by both genders but there always seemed to be very few women at mid-manager and senior levels, and very few at the top. Very often in meetings I was the only woman."

While Ginn acknowledges the industry is not anti-women, Women in Rail's report, released in November, paints a concerning picture. Using data gathered on 85,723 staff from across the sector, it shows that 16.4%, or 14,024, of the total rail workforce is female - roughly the same number as in August 1914, at the dawn of the First World War. The majority, 60%, are working in customer-facing roles and 79% are in non-managerial positions, while just 4% currently occupy an engineering job. The Construction Industry Training Board also states that only 11% of the construction workforce in the UK is female.

"Some people might say 'it's near 20%, it's not that bad,'" adds Ginn, "but the most concerning part is in terms of job grades and their roles. Many women are away from the core decisionmaking and 79% are not in a managerial role, while only 0.6% have progressed to director or executive level. Women need to be given a chance to rise up the ranks. They represent 50% of our [the industry's] customers."

CLOSING THE SKILLS GAP Equal representation is only one argument for increasing the numbers of women, however. More skilled rail workers of all kinds - engineers, surveyors, construction workers, signallers and drivers - are needed.

Government estimates suggest that an additional 10,000 engineers will be needed to deliver improvements to the existing network, while HS2 is expected to create 25,000 jobs during construction and 3,000 when operational.

In a speech in November, Rail Minister Claire Perry MP said: "As things stand today, parts of the rail industry are set to lose half their staff to retirement within the next 15 years. That's unsustainable."

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"To fill our ever-growing pipeline with the best talent it will be crucial to attract more women."

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Speaking last year after the release of Women in Rail's report, Terence Watson, co-chair of the Rail Supply Group, highlighted the role women can play in addressing this concern, saying "to fill our ever-growing pipeline with the best talent it will be crucial to attract more women".

One prospect that could go some way to solving this is the government's new target of 30,000 more rail and road apprenticeships.

Valerie Todd, director of talent and resources at Crossrail, says this provides "a great opportunity that we cannot afford to miss".

"It's a chance to make sure that a significant percentage of people employed are women, are from BME [Black and Minority Ethnicity] backgrounds and are young people."

Crossrail, which has a particularly wellrespected apprenticeship programme of its own, has also stepped up its efforts in fighting gender imbalance through a partnership with Women into Construction (WIC). This intends to open up work experience and employment opportunities through events with Crossrail contractors - the first one, hosted by Morgan Sindall, resulted in work placements.

"We need people at a very senior level to say 'actually, this is important and we will set targets, monitor those targets, and analyse performance based on gender diversity'," adds Todd. Kath Moore, director of WIC, explains that "young women need to feel included, they need to feel that this is an industry they would be welcomed into", adding: "I think it's perception, some employers might feel that it could be a risky choice in some way [to take on more women], although we know it isn't."

"There are plenty of events in the rail sector where men get a chance to meet," says Ginn. "Very often, when women join those groups or events they are in a minority and they are reluctant to network and introduce themselves. That's the internal challenge; making sure women get the support they need to climb the career ladder."

More than this, though, is the issue of flexible working. Women in Rail holds regular meetings, bringing together employers and employees, to brainstorm ways around working arrangements.

The willingness from industry is there, says Ginn, and Todd strikes a similar tone in her assessment. "Most companies think about productivity, and how they can get the most out of the workforce," says Todd. "Flexibility helps with productivity."

In terms of the business case, a 2011 report by Lord Davies concluded that companies with low representation of women on corporate boards are missing out, as they are unable to draw from the widest possible range of talent.

As for the external barriers, rail has an image problem.

"It's not seen as an exciting, modern and dynamic industry, but it is," says Ginn. "It is misunderstood and misrepresented, and young girls are unaware of what it can offer in terms of career options."

Young girls, adds Ginn, have an unconscious barrier against rail and engineering. "Those aged seven to nine years old see it as dirty and messy, those at ten to 12 see it as physically strong and dangerous, and girls aged 12 to15 describe it as unglamorous and socially isolating," she says. "That's one of the biggest challenges."

BARRIERS: INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL What is clear is that the barriers preventing women joining the industry are varied and complex.

While Moore and Todd highlight the necessity of feeling valued and dispelling the myth of rail as a man's world, Ginn separates the challenges into two sections: internal and external.

With a membership of approximately 2,000 and regular networking events, Ginn says a lack of self confidence is often evident. Women can be reluctant to apply for promotions, feeling their chances of success are lower than their male counterparts.

There are lots of fantastic initiatives going on, but we need to do is explain what a career in rail means.

A NEW ERA FOR WOMEN? Solving - or at least attempting to solve these concerns will take many years and plenty of effort from those inside and out of the industry.

But, despite the slightly gloomy picture painted by the statistics and the barriers outlined, progress is being made.

As well as Women in Rail acting as a forum for change with networking and mentoring programmes, Transport for London last year launched its 100 Years of Women in Transport campaign with the aim of attracting more women to the transport sector and celebrating the significant contributions they have made over the years.

There is also Crossrail's partnership with WIC and Network Rail's bold plans, which include a staff network for women, called Inspire, and a pledge to encourage 30% more women to apply to its group business services IT graduate and placement programme by 2018.

There are lots of fantastic initiatives going on, but we need to do is explain what a career in rail means," says Ginn. "We also need companies and senior managers and executives to identify and develop their female talent.

"We need to showcase our role models," something that will help break down the notion that rail is a 'job for the boys', she continues.

For Todd, the focus should be on providing access to information and opening up more work experience opportunities, which she says is a way to create the conditions required to tempt more women to join the industry.

"The cultural change is the most important," says Moore. "In terms of equality, 50/50, I think we're a long way from achieving that, but having equality in terms of women being considered on the same basis as men for work and contribution, then yes we're well on the way to that. [But], we can't be complacent."

Times are changing, then, and there is a sense of optimism - albeit one that is tempered with realism - that gender equality is part of the agenda, both within rail circles and afar, such as the media and government.

"It's a slow burner," says Ginn, "but it's a real possibility. It will take time, but the process has started."

• FIRST PUBLISHED ON WWW.RAILWAY-TECHNOLOGY.COM AND FUTURE RAIL MAGAZINE • The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards

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BREXIT – HOW WILL IT IMPACT CONSTRUCTION?

By MARK GOLDSMITH, Collingwood's Construction & Building Products Executive Search Consultant

OK, I AM GOING TO AVOID MAKING THIS A DOOM AND GLOOM POSTING; GOD KNOWS I’VE READ MY FAIR SHARE OF THEM RECENTLY. HAVING FIRST HAND EXPERIENCED LIFE IN THE INDUSTRY BACK IN 2008, EVEN BEFORE THE MAJORITY OF BRITISH INDUSTRY WAS WAKING UP TO THE FACT THAT BANKS HAD STOPPED LENDING, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS BEEN A WELL-EARNED BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR MOST. HELL, WE’VE EVEN GOT THROUGH A GENERAL ELECTION AND SCOTTISH REFERENDUM RELATIVELY UNSCATHED.

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o it’s on to the next hot topic, June 23rds referendum on the EU. As Joe Strummer famously penned in 1981 – Should I stay or should I go (other, far better Clash songs exists in the author's opinion).

The Confederation of British Industry has recently said that leaving would have at least a 4% negative impact on GDP. We need investors to be manufacturing on these shores, so specialist contractors can put up the curtain walling, etc that is made here in the UK. So what is the likely impacts to sticking a cross next to stay or go?

• 2

An exit could sacrifice Britain’s ability to fashion trade deals and flex on regulatory standards when asking the major banks for further investment.

• 3

Labour costs are soaring in the industry. This has been well documented in the services industry arena within the built environment but it has impacted building product manufacturers too. I have recruited a number of EU professionals who have moved over from various Central European countries. Often these individuals bring niche skill sets not readily available here in the UK; people with PhDs in specific areas of materials, manufacturing processes and sciences for example. Over the last two years, I've twice been briefed to headhunt multi-lingual Plant Managers within the industry. And more surprisingly, again on two occasions in the last year, I have headhunted from mainland Europe for strategic marketers (albeit very specific briefs), having already exhausted the pool of talent from within this region.

4 •

Margins are being squeezed further. Developers push the tier ones, the tier ones push the tier twos and so on. With unemployment hovering at around 3%, the 10% pulled in from other EU states are important to the industry moving forward.

Leaving is likely to only drive prices up and up.

5 •

Not least, it has been widely reported that leaving would create a nervousness to business confidence. This works both ways; construction stops building commercial buildings, incoming business moguls have nowhere to situate themselves in Britain.

A vicious circle ensues.

1 •

In my experience most building products used for both commercial and residential projects derive from these shores. OK, the dearth of bricks last year may have been plugged by imports, but in general terms, this is the case.

Conversely, I can think of three large manufacturers I work with who are targeted, in part, to satisfy orders into Central Europe.

• 2

Red tape from Brussels! I doubt there is a need to explain this. A client has recently taken the plunge, exporting into Central Europe.

Having recruited an Export Sales Manager and a French Country Manager (through me) they have found it draining dealing with the amount of legislation attached to trading with sister states. Hang on, thinking about it, perversely would leaving the EU, make trading with non-EU countries a more pain-free experience?

3 •

Although there is a certain amount of doomsayers who threaten that Brussels will close the doors on Britain exporting, would such a kibosh be in anyone's interests?

go

Britain has become rather accustomed to the open trading arrangements enjoyed with central Europe since 1973.

s t ay

1 •

Either way, one thing is assured, my view is likely to move from middle to one of the extremes and back a number of times before voting day.

Having read a lot on the subject it astonishes (not surprises) me how many contradicting reports there are on the subject. Furthermore, big hitters from within the same major corporates are finding it hard to agree.

I would love to hear others views on this, most important, of issues as I attempt to decide where to place my cross on June 23rd. mark.goldsmith@collingwoodsearch.co.uk The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards

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WOMEN LEADERS IN CONSTRUCTION: THE GLASS CEILING

By SHIRLEY RAMOS, Executive and Sales Coaching, Talent and Leadership Development, Gender Strategist and Thought Leadership

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n recent articles, Women Leaders in Construction: The Sticky Floor and The Even Stickier Ladder, we considered the reasons why women, specifically in the construction industry, hesitate to aspire to leadership positions, or upon deciding to embark on the path to promotion, why the climb up the ladder seems long, tedious and “sticky.”

For those that choose to navigate the ladder, usually over a period of several years and a multitude of experiences, there are real leadership opportunities within the industry. Middle and even “lead” management positions are attainable, with positions such as project manager, senior engineer and director of safety being offered to women more often. But what about those that aspire to the C-level positions available in the industry? Is there a rung on the ladder that women are able see past but not push through? What does that look like for women leaders in construction?

Merriam Webster defines the glass ceiling as "an intangible barrier within a hierarchy that prevents women or minorities from obtaining upper-level positions".

Other sources define it further. "The glass ceiling metaphor has often been used to describe invisible barriers ("glass") through which women can see elite positions but cannot reach them ("ceiling"). These barriers prevent large numbers of women and ethnic minorities from obtaining and securing the most powerful, prestigious, and highest-grossing jobs in the workforce. Moreover, this effect may make women feel they are not worthy to fill high-ranking positions or as if their bosses do not take them seriously or see them as potential candidates for advancement." This characterizes the phenomena well, but women in the construction industry also experience challenges if/when they obtain those positions that are perceived as being at the top rung of the leadership ladder.

Lisa, a young but executive level leader in a large construction company, recently shared her frustration. A peer level colleague had secured an intern to help with some of the more administrative work that had kept him at the corporate office several hours into the evening. Lisa had been sharing with her supervisor how busy she is, discussing with him the long list of activities and “jobs” that keep her from really being creative and leading her team. She was surprised that her colleague, having worked there for less than a year, was able to get help to offset the “doing” part of the role when she didn't get more than a “you do a great job” response from her supervisor. Shaking her head she quipped, "He (her supervisor) knows how buried I am".

Pam, a leader and part of the firm’s executive management team, was discussing some of the challenges that the company is facing and shared some of the innovative ways it was addressing those challenges.

As she talked about reporting directly to the CEO, and about the other VPs she was working with, I noticed her title was director.

Curious, I inquired if she was the only director level leader sitting as a full participant on the EMT. Her response was a lengthy rendition of why she doesn't need the title. She participates fully and they have high expectations of her. She feels like she’s part of the team. She would like to someday be a VP, but for now, she gets to do the same type of work - and again - the title doesn't matter.

Joan, a newly appointed C-level executive in an impressive and progressive construction firm, is excited about her opportunity. The only female on the executive team, she feels respected and feels heard and valued by the rest of the EMT. Although the rest of the team is male, they look to her for input and direction. Having the opportunity to work with her as her executive coach, we were discussing her plan to create a new position

The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

within her new organization. She felt compelled to rationalize adding the new position, stating that she herself could do the work. There was nobody telling her that she needed to keep on the tactical work, but she felt obligated to continue to “perform” rather than create, and was struggling to let go of what she sees as the activities that got her to the top.

Lisa, Pam and Joan are all experiencing challenges that have shown up as a result of breaking through the glass ceiling.

Women may crack through that glass ceiling, but are they climbing up to the next level or hanging out inbetween, with one foot still on a sticky rung while they try to effectively participate at the executive level? And if it is the latter, then why?

Being too tactical and not embracing the strategic: In previous posts, we referenced the phenomena that women are evaluated and seen as potential leaders as a result of their performance, which means they must prove that they are capable via multiple experiences and successes in the industry. This can create a sticky ladder for women as they compete for leadership positions in the construction industry, where men are seen for their leadership potential and often not required to demonstrate their abilities. Women can see their collective tactical activities as what propelled them to a high-level leadership position rather than the strategic, less observable behaviors that drive the tactical. Women are also multitaskers and have the ability to “do it all,” which further gets them recognized in a male-dominated industry where women comprise 9% of the entire workforce. This combination of getting noticed and

Women need to stand confidently in their power, knowing that their skills and greatness will win over those who are hesitant to embrace them.

being able to do it all, keeps women from being able to really let go of the tactical and fully embrace the strategic position above the glass ceiling. For Lisa, that means being able to ask directly for an intern to support her in the “doing” instead of indirectly trying to prove to her boss that she needs help by sharing all that she does. For Joan, it means letting go of having to do it all without having to justify - and mostly to herself - that the executive level performance is about strategic leadership.

Thinking titles don't matter. This just isn't true. If a person is doing VP-level work with VPs, and with the same expectations – but if she has a director title – then that matters. And if you are the only woman on the team, there is a message there.

It is a perception issue. It is a level of authority assignment. It defines the level of respect and credibility. That is why we have titles. That is how we differentiate who is responsible for what. It assigns the level of accountability. Why then was Pam “okay” with being a director on a team where everyone else was a VP? She had 100 reasons to rationalize this, but you could tell that she clearly wasn't happy about it. Her reasoning had to do more with why they didn't see her actual

position as a VP position and less to do with her not feeling educated or capable to do the work. The conversation was clearly upsetting and she was unsettled in the discussion. Her words were “I don't really need the title...” but her body language said something different. I have also worked with women who had taken a lesser title to get into an organization, thinking that once they got in the employer would see how hard they work and what they could do, and eventually promote them to the position/title they were qualified for in the first place. In my experience, and the experiences of the women I work with, I have never seen this result in expected title changes.

Not standing in our power. Attaining an executive position in the construction industry, whether you are a man or a woman, is no small feat. Those positions lead the innovation of the organizations and assume the associated risks.

These are powerful positions and the expectations are great. To be successful at moving past the final rung on the ladder and fully embracing the land above the glass ceiling, women need to be powerful. The challenge comes in our historical perception of what power looks like in a male-dominated profession.

Men are used to experiencing women in a supportive, nurturing role. This often looks more indirect and suggesting with language that includes “should we consider” or “have you thought of…” A strong and decisive woman, on the other hand, may be met with hesitancy and require time to create credibility, but this is part of the change process as more women leaders bust through and capture the strategic leadership roles. Women need to stand confidently in their power, knowing that their skills and greatness will win over those who are hesitant to embrace them.

All industries need great women in leadership. A recent article in the Washington Post stated that, "There's a very strong outperformance of companies that have women in management roles."

Women bring strengths, skills and thought processes that are complementary to men. The key to getting more female representation at the coveted C-Level and executive positions is for women to fully embrace their greatness and power. Don't keep that foot stuck to the ladder... move confidently through the break you made in the glass ceiling!

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COMING SOON

WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING AWARDS NORTH AMERICA

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The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards | MAY 2016

The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards

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2017 PRELIMINARY TIMELINE

27

26

29

JANUARY 2017

APRIL 2017

NOMINATIONS CLOSE

JUDGING DAY

16

25

SEPTEMBER 2016

MARCH 2017

MAY 2017

NOMINATIONS OPEN

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

AWARDS DINNER

For more information about The European Women In Construction & Engineering Awards visit our website www.wiceawards.com or contact Skye Seymourr skye.seymour@wiceawards.com *Dates are a subject to change