We are celebrating Women in Construction week against the backdrop that according to the latest Office for National Statistics workforce figures, the proportion of women in construction remains stubbornly low – fewer than one in eight.

We caught up with several women at Premier Guarantee and ask them about their roles, how their careers have developed, and any advice they have for others.

Jacqui Bonnington, Consistency and Compliance Manager

What did you do before you joined Premier Guarantee?

I got my degree in Building Surveying while working full time and have been constantly challenging myself in different roles since.

How has your career developed here?

I joined Premier Guarantee as a Risk Management Surveyor and fairly quickly progressed to Deputy Manager and then a Regional Manager.  As a Regional Manager I have won the Manager of the Year award and recently I have been appointed to Consistency and Compliance Manager.

What support have you had from the company to get where you are today?

The company has been very supportive. I have been lucky enough to work with some great people with who have encouraged me and given me the confidence to progress. This support has been 1 to 1 with managers, time to train and develop myself as well as the positive environment I feel I work in.

Has any internal training supported your career development?

I have been on some really good courses which have not only assisted in making me more aware of technical requirements and company polices but also look at how I manage and re-evaluate if I could do better.

What new skills, personal and professional have you learnt or developed since joining?

When I joined I did not have a lot of experience with new build construction. I was more familiar with working out what was wrong with existing buildings, so I have really developed my skills in this area of construction including Building Control requirements.

What advice would you give to someone wishing to progress their career?

Do the best you can within the role you have, take pride in what you do and treat everyone you have contact with as you would want to be treated. Being known for doing a job well and being someone knowledgeable, approachable, and helpful will go a long way when the right opportunity arises.

Where do you see your career going in the future?

I have just got a new role of Consistency and Compliance Manager and I am really looking forward to developing this role into a very valuable one for Premier Guarantee.

If you had one piece of career advice for your younger self, what would it be?

It’s OK to say no sometimes.

Interviews with more women in construction

• Ewa Jacobowska, Head of Technical Operations
• Caroline Tomey, South East Regional Manager Surveying Team
• Jess Dutton, Learning and Development Advisor

We are hiring

A number of roles are available with us right now. So if Women in Construction Week causes you to re-evaluate your career, please take a look at the opportunities available here now. Plus, you could read more about our work opportunities via the article links below.

Please Note: Every care was taken to ensure the information in this article was correct at the time of publication.