Sarah Addis,
Age 28

Qualifications
BSC Hons Quantity Surveying

What encouraged you to join the construction industry?
For me it was the ability to study and work at the same time. I received corporate sponsorship from Corderoy and took my degree part time on day release over five years. I found that having the support from the company and of my colleagues really helped my studies.

I considered other career paths such as accountancy and law, but they seemed quite boring! I hadn't even thought about a career in construction. When the opportunity came up with Corderoy in surveying, I looked into it and it seemed right for me, I really enjoy it now.

What were you doing before?
After doing my A-levels I completed the first year of Geology degree at University of Glamorgan. I was finding the prospect of another 4 years studying with no money quite a daunting prospect, so decided to look for something where I could work and study at the same time. At this point I joined Corderoy and transferred my degree to BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying so that I could gain experience whilst also getting my academic qualification - it was the most practical solution for me.

What do you do day-to-day?
My position within Corderoy is Principal Surveyor, whereby I am responsible for a team of surveyors at our Cardiff office working on Bills of Quantities preparation for major highways and civil engineering projects. We currently undertake a number of projects in Ireland as well as in the UK. The work for Ireland is currently very busy as their Government have invested a lot of money into their highways and infrastructure. This means that I have regular visits to Dublin to attend design meetings etc.

What surprised you about the construction industry?
How few women there really are in the industry at the moment. I've been to certain dinners where of 150 people there are only 2 or 3 women. I'm surprised that women haven't been attracted into the more graduate and professional roles. Your sex really doesn't matter because it comes down to academic ability. As a company we plan to run a scheme whereby selected employees will be going around UK Universities to talk to students and give presentations on joining the construction industry. We have also in the past sponsored student awards at University of Glamorgan to try to raise the profile of the company and the industry.

If you were to recommend your job to someone else, what would you say?
I would recommend my job particularly at the moment as it's a very good time to get into the industry when there is a skills shortage. You should be able to get a decent training salary and there are opportunities to study and work at the same time. Also, once qualified there will be opportunities to progress up the career ladder. At Corderoy we have a fast-track training programme which encourages younger professionals into managerial roles. This is important within an organisation to ensure that the company doesn't become stale and has young, enthusiastic people in managerial positions.