At MCG Construction we're proud to have an inclusive and diverse workforce. This week (7 - 13 March) we join the national Women in Construction campaign to shine the light on our fantastic female colleagues and get to know some of them a little better.
Name: Catherine Harrington
Job title: Administrator
How long have you been working in construction? Over 30 years.
What was your first role in construction and when? My first memory of working in construction is being a wheelbarrow girl on one of my Dad’s sites as a very small girl (health and safety was very different back then). The pay wasn’t great, but I worked really hard for my penny sweets! I was soon promoted to office work and I’ve stayed there ever since.
Have you noticed more women working within construction since you started? The office of every firm has invaluable, amazing women at the helm, not as often on the tools but this is changing, which is brilliant.
How did your friends/family react to you choosing construction as your career? Being of proud Irish roots, it’s not unusual and most of my family are in construction. I can’t drive around London without my Dad pointing out somewhere he, my grandad or another family member built.
Have you ever felt daunted by being in a male dominated industry? No never. Construction is full of the nicest, funniest, most hard-working people you could ever meet.
What do you enjoy the most about your job? The different challenges each day throws up, you never have a day the same as the last.
Can you describe a typical day at work? I ensure all site order requirements are met each day. This covers everything from ordering skips and cleaning supplies right through to ordering plant, machinery and all in between. I work with an amazing hard-working team to ensure all our sites have all they need to operate smoothly.