Engineering Success

Engineering Success interviews Michelle Richardson a Senior Project Manager at Property Alliance Group.

Having always known that she wanted to work in construction Michelle started out life wanting to be an Architect. Whilst studying for her BA(Hons) in Architecture she soon realised that she was much better placed for a career in Project Management having realised her organisational and communication skills were stronger than her creative design skills. Having completed her degree in Architecture she embarked on studying part-time for a Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management after securing her first role as an Assistant Project Manager with a consultancy firm in Leeds.

Over the past 18 years Michelle has worked for a number of large international consultancies firms including Arcadis, Mace and Deloitte in the Project Management teams. In addition to this Michelle has worked as an Operations Director for a small construction company and is now a Senior Project Manager with a large property developer in Manchester and is responsible for over £150m of construction works in and around Manchester.

Having worked for client, contractor and consultancy, Michelle has an excellent understanding of the design and construction process throughout the lifecycle of a project and an acute understanding of how to interpret the client's needs. Michelle's leadership style is to work together in partnership, in open and honest relationships with a focus on developing the team. Her aim is to ensure that she delivers all projects on time, on or below budget with zero health and safety accidents or incidents in order to build successful trusted client relationships.

Engineering Success interviews Mamta Singhal

Mamta is an Engineer, a Public Speaker and a New Product Design Expert.

She is a Chartered Engineer, a Council Member at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), on a UK Manufacturing Policy Panel and was Women of the Year ToyNews 2015 finalist and Women of the Future Ambassador 2015 and 2016 as well as an Associate Member of the Women's Engineering Society (WES). In 2007 she won the WES IET Young Women Engineer of the Year Award. She is also a Committee Member for Strathclyde University down South Alumni network.

Mamta holds over 16 years' experience working for global firms such as Mattel, Hasbro, Dyson, Mars Chocolate and Polaroid.

She is experienced in continuous improvement, engineering, project management and New Product Design in commercial, creative and technical environments. Holding a passion for sustainability, engineering, public speaking and inspiring others.

Mamta is professionally media trained by MediaWomen Limited in 2015. Recently interviewed by The BBC, ITV, ITN Productions, Management Today, The Scotsman and The Telegraph. She has been a keynote speaker for Dyslexia Scotland and in March will be speaking at the Equate Scotland conference.

She was a speaker and mentor at the Management Today's 'Inspiring Women in Business' conference 2016 and 2019 in Scotland, Birmingham and London.

Mamta is also a keen blogger, presenter and columnist for national and international forums.

Engineering Success interviews Gemma Darroch the Head of New Projects at Ideal Modular Homes.

Gemma has several years experience providing expert advice across the interior design and modular housing sector. As Head of New Projects at Ideal Modular Homes, Gemma has a proven track record of developing successful business relationships with existing and prospective clients.

With her exceptional understanding of the growing housing market, Gemma helps clients achieve their aspirations in creating "beautiful homes in which people want to live".

With a creative eye for precision, Gemma advocated 'simplicity in design' through sustainable construction methods without compromising on quality and deliverability. This is reflected within the design ethos of Ideal Modular Homes.

Her commitment to achieving Net Zero Carbon initiatives set out by the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) and creating socially viable homes for all, is at the forefront of her sustainability mission.

Engineering Success interviews Jo Foster the Diversity & Inclusion Manager at The Institute of Engineering and Technology.

Jo is an accomplished Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) specialist with more than 9 years experience in the profession.

She currently works as the EDI Lead for the Institution of Engineering and Technology - one of the largest professional engineering societies in the world.

Jo leads on all EDI activity for the institution and in 2018 she set the IET's first multi-year EDI Strategy. This strategy has full senior leadership support and approval from the IET's Board of Trustees. It has an internal and external focus and is an excellent example of embedding EDI practises across a complex organisational structure.

She imparts expert knowledge across multiple diversity strands such as; gender, LGBTQ+, social mobility, BAME groups, disability, mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. She is Chair of the IET Diversity & Inclusion Committee, sits on the Royal Academy of Engineering Diversity & Inclusion Steering Group and is a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Diversity and Inclusion in STEM.

From 2015 to date Jo has successfully project-managed the prominent and prestigious IET Young Woman Engineer (YWE) of the Year Awards, turning it into a multi-award-winning event and ceremony. She acts as an unconscious bias observer for the YWE Awards to ensure equal opportunity for all.

Jo has been the driving force behind the IET's most successful social media diversity campaigns, two of which are multi-award-winning - to alter the perception around engineering and who the profession is for. 

Engineering Success interviews Josie Rothera the Course Director for MSc Civil Engineering at Leeds Beckett University.

Josie is a Chartered Engineer, an Associate of the Association of Project Management, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Early Career Researcher. Josie has also recently been appointed as a Panel Member for the Institution of Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

Josie has over 10 years experience of project site management on contracts over £10M, often the sole female representation on the delivery team.

She is a active promoter of the Institution of Civil Engineers in the Yorkshire and Humberside region and is a board representative on several steering groups in both academia and industry. Josie is a Company Director of STEER Support and Mentoring CIC, which supports under-graduates in transitioning into Built Environment careers.

Josie is a supporter for under-represented groups in civil engineering and the built environment industry and is a member of the Women's Engineering Society (WES) and Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)

Engineering Success interviews Chiara Armandi who is currently studying Aerospace Engineering at the University of Surrey.

Chiara is the President of the first Society of Women in Space Exploration in Europe and loves everything to do with Space.

Keen to be involved in the Space |Industry she wants to help make discoveries that will change our lives and advance our knowledge.

Chiara believes there is much unknown and she wants to find out as much as possible during this perfect era.

Having spent a great deal of time deciding her career path Chiara can only see her future working in the engineering industry and wants to share her passion to inspire others into engineering.

Engineering Success interviews Dr Sarah Peers the Founder Director of Peers & Peers

Sarah's route into engineering is a little unusual: her background is mathematics, having several degrees, but has a PhD in mechanical engineering from University College London.

Sarah calls herself "sort of engineer/mathematician/systems engineer". Her first jobs were in programming and analysis and then as a lecturer at University College London where she worked on the development of reliability and AI based maintenance planning of offshore structures.

She is currently Deputy President of INWES, the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists and she has been involved in activities to increase the number of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) since 1992. She is also a senior advisor and a Fellow of the Institute of Innovation & Knowledge Exchange, driving innovation skills in scientific and tech corporations, including defence and global companies, and a Director at The STEM Foundation supporting vocational STEM education and leading the STEM Assured accreditation scheme.

Her expertise is in skills strategy and policy development for innovation, STEM education and the engineering and technology sectors. Most of her work is with leadership teams, supporting them to develop better ways of doing things. She is also involved in international projects as a designated EU expert in gender and STEM. Her other projects include condition monitoring data interpretation and curriculum development for new engineering programmes.

Engineering Success interviews Vicki Reynolds a Digital Manager at Multiplex Construction

Vicki has worked closely with stakeholders of every level of seniority and experience to deliver BIM and Digital Construction across a number of major projects in the UK. In her current role as Digital Manager at Multiplex Construction she works on the pre-construction digital strategy and digital skills development across the organisation. She believes that, so long as you find the right learning method, BIM and Digital Construction can be accessible for everyone.

A core member of Women in BIM, Vicki works hard to support, retain and provide opportunities for women in the digital construction environment and regularly presents at schools to promote STEM and Construction to girls in education. Vicki believes strongly that the industry must diversify in order to successfully digitalise, and works hard to encourage women of all ages and experience to consider construction as a viable and rewarding career option.

Engineering Success interviews Fred Mills the Co-Founder and Managing Director at The B1M.

Having worked with a leading UK contractor, Fred co-founded The B1M in 2012 to upskill the construction industry on building information modelling (BIM)

The award-winning "BIM For Beginners" series went on to gain several million video views and is now embedded in over 500 organisations worldwide. Building on the success of the platforms BIM content, Fred focused on sharing 'the best of construction' to improve the industry and ensure that it appealed to the best talent.

Fred grew The B1M into the worlds largest and most subscribed-to video channel for construction with over 7 million viewers each month. It now employs a nine-strong team from its London HQ. Fred's videos have amassed tens of millions of views making him a global figure in video publishing and a role model to millions of people interested or already working in construction.

Fred's mission is to fundamentally alter the perception of construction on planet Earth.

Engineering Success interview Mark Farmer the Founding Director and CEO of Cast.

Cast is a Real Estate and Construction Consultancy business with a strong heritage within the UK property development and investment sector.

Mark has 30 years experience in construction and real estate and is a recognised international commentator on a variety of industry and policy related issues. Mark is a member of the Mayor of London's Construction Skills Advisory Group, a Board Member for the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, a Co-Chair of Construction Excellence, a Vice Chair of the ULI UK Residential Council, A Trustee of the MOBIE educational charity and is an Honorary Professor at The University of Salford's School of Built Environment.

Mark authored the 'Farmer Review', an influential 2016 independent government review of the UK's construction labour model entitled 'Modernise or Die'. He is a member of the Construction Innovation Hub Industry Board and Chairs the MHCLG joint industry working group tasked with enabling greater use of Modern Methods of Construction in the residential sector.