For Finola Keogh of Roadbridge, the favourite part of working in the industry 'is seeing the progression of a project from start to completion. It’s definitely rewarding to see a completed project and compare it to the first day you arrived on site'.

What led you to pursue a career in construction?

When I was choosing a college course, career prospects in the industry were good, jobs were plentiful and there was a lot of investment in the industry. I also liked the idea of having a qualification or a trade, rather than a more general degree, particularly one that can be used to work almost anywhere in the world.

What is your favourite part about working in the industry?

For me, my favourite part of working in the industry is seeing the progression of a project from start to completion. It’s definitely rewarding to see a completed project and compare it to the first day you arrived on site.

Finola Keogh, quantity surveyor, Roadbridge

If you could provide advice to a young female interested in a career in the construction industry, what would it be?

My advice would to be as open minded as possible and don’t assume that your gender will be a factor in the workplace. Be confident, eager to learn and ask lots of questions – no one starting out in the industry, male or female, knows it all so don’t be self-conscious about your inexperience.

What has surprised you most about working in construction?

I have been surprised, particularly when working on site, by the amount exposure you get to other disciplines and areas of expertise outside of your own, be it commercial, safety, environmental etc. This is useful both for personal professional development and can also give you firsthand experience in an area you may wish to further your studies/career.

Has it ever bothered you that there aren’t more women in construction? Why or why not?

In my professional life, it doesn’t especially bother me, as a team can be made up with any balance of genders, as long as they are the right people for the job. It’s unfortunate that there is still a common sentiment that the construction industry is not female friendly, but I think this is probably more common outside of the industry than within. 

What makes Roadbridge a company for women to work in?

Roadbridge has a good representation of female employees, across many disciplines and offers them equal facilities, working conditions and opportunity as their male counterparts.

The company is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of their employees and regularly organises workplace health checks and access to an external counselling/support service.

Working with Roadbridge offers a lot of exposure to different industries and locations and can afford employees the chance to travel extensively within their career.

What’s a perk about working in the construction industry that most people don’t know about?

Because of innovation in construction methods and ever-increasing standards, employers in the construction industry support a huge amount of development and upskilling for their staff.

This may not be immediately obvious as it’s not always in a formal CPD setting but everything from toolbox talks on site to more formal courses and qualifications are ongoing in every construction company and benefit employees as well as employers.

What has been your favourite project to work on?

My favourite project that I have worked to date has been Center Parcs Longford Forest – it is the first resort of its type to be built in Ireland so it was a learning experience for the whole team.

The location of the site within a woodland forest brought various challenges but was also a really stunning environment in which to work.