Eden
Graduate Project Manager
![Eden.png](/uploads/hero-images/_1315w/Eden.png)
Hear about Eden's career experiences since joining us last year...
Can you walk us through your background and any milestones that have shaped your career to date?
Last year I graduated from Reading with a degree in Construction Management and Surveying and went straight to work for John Rowan and Partners, which is owned by Bellrock. I came across the opportunity to join the graduate scheme here at a university fair around Christmas time in 2022, having been recommended it by another student who I knew. After speaking to a few of the grads there, I knew it would be a good move and fortunately I managed to get in!
What or who inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
I have some family background in the construction industry and I remember going out to sites with my dad in his van. Growing up I loved any type of model construction kit, especially Meccano, so I suppose it has always been with me subconsciously. I also took a liking to maths and art, so perhaps it was inevitable I would end up heading down this path. The support from my family has been important. I was aware that construction generally was a male-dominated sector, but my mum is very strong-willed and she, along with the rest of my family have always rooted for me. I was also in good company on my university course, with a good proportion of the group being women, and I also work with great women here at JRP. At no point have I felt that I can’t succeed in this space.
As somebody who has recently entered the sector, what are your career ambitions?
I see first-hand what it takes to progress into more advanced roles, and I am excited to get there and succeed. Although I don’t have any specific targets set in stone, what I can say is that Bellrock is a great company for professional and personal growth. My line manager also went to Reading as a student and graduated six years ago, and there are many more people within the business that I look up to. Everybody here is extremely helpful and caring, and it really does feel like a family.
What advice would you give to other young women starting out?
If you are having any doubts about the opportunities in the construction and surveying world, don’t let that hold you back. There is a lot of preconceived bias about women being in the construction industry but from my experience so far, I have seen nothing to suggest that women cannot succeed, and the sector needs more bright-minded women. Go as far as you are willing to push yourself.
If you were given an unlimited budget to improve the employee experience or workplace, what would you spend it on?
Site visits and on the ground experience for those starting out. I found this to be extremely valuable during my university course – it gives you the opportunity to see how what you study is applied in the real world. We are actually inviting a group of Reading students up to our site soon, which is something I am looking forward to being involved with.
More generally, I think the sector needs to somehow generate more awareness among younger generations about the career opportunities it can offer. I had the fortune of family ties to the sector, and even I wasn’t fully aware of what surveying was until quite a late stage. If more school-age students knew about the potential career paths, I am certain we would see a lot more uptake.