Summers-Inman are proud to be supporting International Women’s Day 2025.
International Women’s Day on March 8th is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. The theme this year is that collectively we can #AccelerateAction for gender equality #ForAllWomenAndGirls
Suzanne Buckley, Associate Director, and Jessica Heggs-Howells, Building Surveyor, based at Summers-Inman Leicester office, share their career journeys and thoughts about gender equality within the industry.
Suzanne Buckley, Associate Director, Leicester office
Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in the construction industry, and how has your journey led you to your current role at Summers-Inman?
I began my career in administration before joining a Health and Safety Consultancy, where I developed an interest in the Planning Supervisor role. As regulations evolved, I trained as a CDM Co-ordinator, and after being contacted via an online job portal, I joined Summers-Inman as an Assistant CDM Co-ordinator.
Since then, I’ve progressed to Principal Designer, adapting to regulatory changes. During quieter periods, I broadened my skills by supporting colleagues, gaining valuable experience as a Project Manager, Employer’s Agent and BREEAM Assessor.
Q. What advice would you give to women considering a role in construction or aiming for leadership positions in this field?
My advice would be to go for what you want and don’t let others tell you that you can’t do it just because it is a male-dominated industry.
Q. What have been some of your proudest achievements during your career in the construction industry so far?
One of my proudest achievements was graduating First Class with Honours in Construction Management. I never had an ambition to do a degree and doing it whilst working full time was a hard task.
Q. Have you faced any challenges along the way?
Learning the roles of the various disciplines has been challenging, but enjoying the work I do has made the learning process easier.
I also faced challenges when previously working for companies that felt a woman’s place was in the office and not on site.
Q. How can organisations like Summers-Inman continue to support and empower women within their workforce, both in entry-level roles and at more senior levels?
Getting out there at schools and colleges and making the construction industry a viable option to women – it was never presented to me as an option when looking at careers at school.
Summers-Inman continue to engage with the workforce, listening to what they want in order to progress and provide the support required.
Q. Do you feel the construction sector has made progress in terms of encouraging women to pursue careers within the industry? Are there areas where more could be done?
I definitely think there has been progress as when visiting sites as there is more of a presence of women on site in consultant and trade roles.
I feel that the industry still needs to target schools to present the option of the construction industry to women.
Q. How would you describe the culture and environment at Summers-Inman? What makes it an enjoyable and supportive place to work for women?
I have been at Summers-Inman for 17 years and the culture and environment is fantastic. Everyone is friendly and supportive of each other and you are recognised as a person and not a number, which is not always the case at some other companies.
Summers-Inman don’t see people as a gender, race, ethnicity etc., they see people for the merits they deserve.
Q. Finally, on International Women’s Day, what message would you like to share with women about entering or progressing in the construction industry?
I think it is a simple message – DO IT! Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you can’t do something, prove them wrong!
Jessica Heggs-Howells, Building Surveyor, Leicester office
Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in the construction industry, and how has your journey led you to your current role at Summers-Inman?
I knew as a teenager I wanted to work with buildings. At school, I’d spend my free periods looking on Rightmove to see what different types of buildings were for sale! I’d never heard of Surveying at the time, so I initially found myself working in Estate Agency. From there, I discovered the role of the building surveyor and studied for a distance learning degree with UCEM while I worked.
Fortunately, upon graduating, I applied for my first building surveying role with Summers-Inman and was successful!
Q. What advice would you give to women considering a role in construction or aiming for leadership positions in this field?
I was initially wary of how I might be perceived and treated as a woman in such a male-dominated industry, but within my role as a building surveyor I have always been treated as an equal and with complete respect. My advice would be not to be put off or assume you’ll be treated differently – in my experience it’s your ability, attitude and your work ethic that will count.
Q. What have been some of your proudest achievements during your career in the construction industry so far?
I think the day I graduated with a BSc in Building Surveying was one of the proudest days I’ve ever had. I was the first person within my immediate family to go to university, and the odds were stacked against me as I worked full-time alongside my studies. It was proof to myself that I did have mental fortitude, and I could achieve things even when people might tell me that I couldn’t.
Working at Summers-Inman has also provided me with opportunities to undertake all kinds of work, including roof surveys, so I have had to conquer my fear of heights and lifts pretty quickly!
Q. Have you faced any challenges along the way?
As the work of a building surveyor is so varied, there is a lot to learn and this can sometimes seem overwhelming, especially at the start. But if you’re passionate about the industry and you keep grinding away, then before you know it, you’ll end up with a lot more knowledge than you thought you had.
Q. How can organisations like Summers-Inman continue to support and empower women within their workforce, both in entry-level roles and at more senior levels?
I think that one of the key things is the continued encouragement of women in entry-level roles to progress their career and develop their skills. It’s important to be supported on the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) journey, given the opportunity to visit a variety of different buildings to broaden your skill set and have the opportunity to discuss short, medium and long-term goals with regard to moving up the ladder within the company.
For women in more senior roles, partnering with organisations that support women in construction such as the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), demonstrates that the company recognises the value of having women within the industry and is committed to encouraging the next generation of women to come through.
Q. Do you feel the construction sector has made progress in terms of encouraging women to pursue careers within the industry? Are there areas where more could be done?
I do think the construction sector has made progress in terms of encouraging women to enter construction. Since joining the industry, I have become aware of a lot of women who hold highly respected leadership positions, such as Tina Paillet, who was the previous president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and also Dame Judith Hackitt, who was the former chair of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
I think we as an industry need to continue to recognise and celebrate the talent and achievements of women, so that others with an interest in the industry will feel inspired to join.
Q. How would you describe the culture and environment at Summers-Inman? What makes it an enjoyable and supportive place to work for women?
The environment at Summers-Inman is great; everyone is friendly and approachable, and I’ve received a lot of support from colleagues regarding my APC submission.
Although I don’t have children yet, Summers-Inman offers flexible working options which means you can work remotely or adapt your working hours, which is particularly helpful for women with childcare responsibilities.
Q. Looking to the future, what are your key career ambitions, and how do you see your role within the construction sector evolving?
At the moment, my key focus is sitting the APC and becoming Chartered. I’ve always had an interest in historic buildings, and I think conservation work is so important. In the future, it would be nice to do some work in this area and become a member of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) or the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).
Q. Finally, on International Women’s Day, what message would you like to share with women about entering or progressing in the construction industry?
Well, just do it! It’s definitely not the ‘boys’ club’ you might imagine, and in any case there are some massively inspirational women who have gone on to achieve great things in their respective male-dominated industries, such as Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart and Sandra Day O’Connor. If they can do it, why not you?
We are pleased to encourage women in construction at Summers-Inman, understanding the importance of building a workplace where women thrive and offering a host of career opportunities throughout the company.
Summers-Inman operate nationally with eight offices throughout the UK in Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Leicester, Birmingham, Teesside and London.
View our careers page or contact Summers-Inman at info@summers-inman.co.uk
