Celebrating Women in Construction: A Q&A with Junior Project Co-ordinator, Rachel McClenaghan

Running from the 5th to the 11th of March, Women in Construction Week is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the fantastic work that women do within the industry. Not only does it showcase the great initiatives of women within construction, but it also promotes the many jobs available in the sector. At Kirkwood Timber Frame, we want to join others across the UK to shine a spotlight on some of the incredible women working in our team.

In this blog post, we caught up with Junior Project Co-ordinator, Rachel McClenaghan, who discusses her journey to working in construction, what she loves most about the industry and how she sees the timber frame industry changing in the next five years…

Name: Rachel McClenaghan

What is your job title?

Junior Project Co-Ordinator

How long have you worked at Kirkwood Timber Frame?

“I’ve worked at Kirkwood Timber Frame since June 2022.”

Can you tell us a bit about your background - is this your first role within the construction industry or have you worked in the industry for a number of years?

“This is my first job in the field of construction, I have been studying an HND in Computer Aided Architectural Technology at college since August 2021 and initially began my role at Kirkwood Timber Frame as a summer placement, which I now balance part-time alongside my studies.”

What inspired/led you to pursue a career in construction?

“I’ve always had a passion for the design of houses and buildings but found myself following a different route after I left school. After graduating with a law degree in 2014, I got the opportunity to renovate a property which re-ignited my desire to pursue a career in this area. In 2021, I decided to re-enter education to finally study for a qualification in this field.”

What does a day in the life at Kirkwood Timber Frame look like for you?

“I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in several aspects of the business including technical, estimating and commercial, which means my days can be quite varied. At the moment, I spend time in the morning booking new jobs, studying plans, vetting each project and sending out enquiries to any external suppliers.

“I then move on to measuring floor plans, sections and elevations in order to get a full set of dimensions to complete our in-house spreadsheet. I use this to calculate the quantity, type of materials and labour required on a project to formulate a finalised price. Once this is complete, I normally focus on finishing our project specification document which is presented to our clients and gives details on what their quotation includes.

“To carry out these responsibilities, I get to utilise a variety of tools and software such as Microsoft’s Excel for Takeoffs, PDF XChange Editor for measuring, and AutoCAD for the more technical tasks.”

Do you have a favourite project you have worked on? What made it stand out?

“As I am still learning the ropes, I’ve been working on smaller aspects of projects. However, on a number of occasions, I’ve had the chance to take a project from the initial enquiry stage to issuing a finished quote which has been really satisfying. I also regularly get to view plans of amazing bespoke self-builds which is always very enjoyable - even getting to measure a new dwelling with an indoor swimming pool!”

What do you feel is the biggest challenge of being a woman in construction?

“The construction industry is definitely male dominated, and this can sometimes feel quite daunting as a woman. I’m the only female on my college course which can certainly make it feel like you’re outnumbered. However, my experience has been nothing but positive. I think I had the preconception that I would be judged as ‘not as capable as a man’ in this field of work but that has absolutely not been the case.

“In my opinion, the more females we see in the construction industry and the more we hear about their positive experiences, the more likely women will be inspired to join the industry.”

How do you see the timber frame industry changing over the next five years?

“I think the industry will continue to grow as the benefits of timber frame become more widely known, the emphasis on sustainable and eco building for the future will undoubtedly see more people turning to timber construction.”

What advice would you give to other women looking to get into the construction industry?

“If you’re interested in construction and would love to have a career in this industry, then go for it! It doesn’t matter about the demographic, if you’re passionate and work hard it will take you places regardless, and the more women that follow this career path the more represented we will be.”

What do you love most about the industry? Anything you’d like to see change in the future?

"I love the idea that the plans I’m looking at and measuring on my computer will one day be someone’s home. It’s exciting to see new communities being developed and feel like you have played a small part in that.

“In the future, I’d like to see more emphasis in schools surrounding careers outside the generic school subjects. It would be great to have females in the construction industry be able to visit younger people in schools and universities to share their positive experiences.”