by City Headshots Dublin
As part of the #BuildingEquality 2019 Campaign, Catherine Greene, Quantity Surveyor with Ardmac, shares her story as a woman in construction.
I didn’t even know what a Quantity Surveyor was or what their job involved until I was talking to my Dad on what direction / career path to pursue. He works in Construction and asked me if I ever considered Quantity Surveying or Engineering. Coming from an all-girls school Construction and Engineering careers were never fully endorsed in any detail.
In 2011, I enrolled in Ulster University, Jordanstown to study Quantity Surveying & Commercial Management and in 8 years have never looked back!
Growing up on a farm with three sisters and one brother, there was never any differentiation between us – male or female we all had to pull our weight and that has always been the environment I have been used to. My family have always been role models to me, especially my Dad. He juggles a career in construction as well as running a farm at home and has always encouraged us to do what we love and to work hard at it, what career sector that falls in to has never been a factor.
I think that there needs to be more awareness on the different aspects of construction and the diverse range of jobs that can be offered within the industry. There is this misconception that construction is a ‘man’s job’ yet I have never once felt uncomfortable throughout my career due to my gender. If you are good at your job that should be the only factor that matters.
Construction is challenging and diverse, every project offers something new which offers so many opportunities for learning and developing which always attracted me to a career in construction. The CIF #BuildingEquality is a fantastic way to promote women in the construction sector, I have found myself reading the profiles of other women in construction on the CIF website and it makes me very proud to be alongside them.
