Rachel Darvall, 25, has won the award for ‘Best Construction Newcomer’ in the Women in Build Awards 2016.
Darvall, Assistant Manager at St James, part of the Berkeley Group, has been involved in projects from the ‘get go’ and by adhering to strong processes and working collaboratively with contractors and suppliers, she has exceled in her role to become a great representation for women in the industry.
Women are not often represented in the construction industry and one of Rachel’s main objectives has been to make more females aware of the endless opportunities in this thriving place of work.
As Assistant Site Manager, Darvall has the responsibility of delivering high quality homes with no defects. This relies on a strong character, ability to stick to strong processes, authoritative management skills and working closely with stakeholders, including contractors and suppliers
Speaking about winning the award, Darvall said, “The stereotype of women not being suited to construction work still remains, but it’s changing.”
“I really hope awards like ‘Women in Build’ will help increase diversity in the industry.”
“Winning this award means a lot to me.”
“St James and the Berkeley Group are on a mission to attract women to construction.”
“I hope that I can be living proof that women can work and succeed in the toughest of environments.”
Commenting on Darvall’s achievements, Sean Ellis, Chairman of St James said, “We are hugely proud of Rachel for winning this award.”
“It is much deserved and I hope it will encourage more women to pursue a career in construction.”
“As an industry we need to do more to sell the benefits construction careers, particularly to women, otherwise we will lose out on a swathe of talent that the industry desperately needs.”
The awards aim to reward and recognise the contribution made by women within the construction industry.
To find out more about the awards, click here.
