Heron Bros pride ourselves on being a workplace that empowers and encourages the development of women within the construction industry and just two of them are Corporate Responsibility Manager, Shauna Young and Bid Manager, Jude Jackson.

Did you plan to work in the Construction Industry?

No, my career started in the bank after completing a degree in Finance & Investment. My role in the bank allowed me to work closely with construction professionals. This is where my interest in the industry sparked. I had rose quickly through the ranks in the bank however, the financial crisis was stalling my career.  I saw this as an opportunity, and I took a leap of faith to retrain as a Quantity Surveyor.

It was during my placement year as a trainee Quantity Surveyor with Heron Bros that I fell in love with the challenging nature of the construction industry. Every day brought a new challenge! Once graduated, I started in Heron Bros as a junior estimator within the Tender and Bid team. – Shauna Young

 

How did you get where you are today?

My first roll, outside of estimating was community liaison. I continued to work within the estimating department and assisted the construction sites with community liaison part time.  This involved working closely with local communities, employment and education partners, to support those looking to get back into work or wanting to a start a career in construction.

Six years on I am now Heron Bros Corporate Responsibility Manager. I now manage the design, delivery, measurement and analysis of Heron Bros Corporate Responsibility Strategy. – Shauna Young

 

What has been the biggest hurdle you’ve had to overcome?

Fine tuning my time management skills! Bids is completely deadline driven and you need to fine tune your approach to managing a bid from start to finish while ensuring all milestones are met. However, the freedom within those parameters offers variety and each Bid Manager approaches this essential skill in their own unique way. – Jude Jackson

 

What has been your proudest achievement?

Each Tender/PQQ success fills me with extreme pride and to eventually see the finished project will always be quite special. Our bids are achieved through teamwork and each person is essential in building the content and contributing to a winning bid. – Jude Jackson

 

Is there anyone in particular you would like to thank for your success?

A late colleague of mine from Tarkett (Pete Thomas – Environmental Manager) explained to me the art of a ‘back story’ and how the subtle nuances of accolades, developments and innovations build a wider picture with depth and substance and invoke a deep understanding of the calibre of your company in a manner other than the obvious sales pitch. I thoroughly admired the passion and dedication Pete had for his job and this has resonated with me and has certainly helped me in my approach to Bid writing. – Jude Jackson

 

What has been the best advice you’ve been given?

Know when to ask for help. With Bid Writing a fresh pair of eyes and a different perspective is often essential in helping you to improve a response that just doesn’t flow or is perhaps lacking the most obvious content. So simple but so effective. – Jude Jackson

 

Would you recommend a career in construction to young women?

I encourage all women to investigate the different opportunities available to you and I applaud Heron Bros as they regularly feature the ladies of the company and promote the wide variety of job roles that are available and crying out for new talent. – Jude Jackson

100%, I have loved working within the construction industry over the past 10 years I would encourage all women to consider construction when looking for a long-term career! – Shauna Young