Tag Archives: Women in construction

Awards, Safety

Ongoing Advancements in Construction Safety and Diversity 

Leave a comment

It is with great pride that Sarah Constructions congratulates QHSE Manager, Dena English, on winning Master Builders SA’s 2021 HiViZ Women in Construction Award, which recognises and celebrates the highest female achievers in the South Australian construction industry.

Promoting diversity and inclusion, the award reflects Master Builders SA’s mission to empower women to pursue new construction career pathways and support them in achieving their goals. Sarah Constructions is therefore delighted that one of our own outstanding employees is the recent recipient.

Celebrating Achievements in Quality, Work Health & Safety and Environmental Management (QHSE)

From choosing a career in Quality, Work Health & Safety and Environmental Management (QHSE) in 2015 to winning the 2021 Master Builders SA Award in 2021, Dena’s development has been rapid.

During that time, as Sarah Constructions grew from 74 employees to 232, Dena progressed from QHSE Coordinator to QHSE Advisor and then to QHSE Manager in 2017 taking on more responsibility and role complexity ensuring that Sarah’s high standards of quality, safety and environmental management were not compromised throughout this period of growth.

Dena rises to every challenge with her QHSE achievements including overhauling Sarah Constructions’ QHSE systems in 2018 to gain certification to new Quality, Safety and Environmental ISO standards; decreasing the company’s Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate from 12.85 to the current rate of 1.55; and designing and implementing an ISO 45001 compliant WHS Management System for Sarah Build.

Safeguarding Business Continuity During COVID-19

2020 brought new challenges in WHS management with COVID-19. Led by Dena and the QHSE team, Sarah Constructions implemented a COVID-19 Management Plan and associated processes to ensure the risks were adequately managed and business continuity was maintained.

This was implemented when Sarah had construction projects operating in Mount Gambier requiring coordination with a Victorian builder, while Victorian COVID-19 cases were at peak levels and a hard border closure was in place. The COVID-19 risk was managed diligently, with Dena and the QHSE team liaising with SAPOL and SA Health to ensure that workers travelling from Victoria were not introducing risk to the health and safety of workers on our sites.

CEO Adrian Esplin thanked staff for their flexibility and commitment throughout the pandemic. “Our ability to be agile to cover staff losses has been exemplary. A great example has been the recent OFSC audit at Concordia, where most of the site team was quarantined the day prior to the audit and QHSE Manager Dena was working remotely due to COVID; our back-up team stepped in to manage the audit and delivered a high level OFSC audit, a result that we’re proud of.”

He went on to highlight how critical WHS is, especially at this time. “The strain is being felt industry-wide. Resources are stretched and the demands on construction projects are not easing. This increases the risk of safety incidents. At Sarah, we recognise that it is vital that we maintain our focus on safety, and in particular high risk works.”

Championing Safety and Diversity in Construction

Not only does QHSE Manager Dena play an integral part in maintaining Sarah’s business continuity and the safety of Sarah staff, she is an “active and valued member” of the South Australian Construction Safety Alliance (SACSA), which champions and improves the safety of construction workers throughout SA.

Lex Hanegraaf, Chairperson of SACSA, explains that her contributions are valuable to the discipline of WHS on a state level. “Dena brings great value to the discussions as a well-respected and experienced construction QHSE professional,” he said.

Dena’s career success also places her in an excellent position to advocate for more women to choose a career in construction – a goal with which Sarah Constructions has long been aligned. Currently a mentor in the MBA Women Building Australia National Mentoring Program, Dena mentors a young woman building her career in the construction industry.

Along with Sarah Constructions Project Manager, Melisha Willington – former recipient of the NAWIC Outstanding Achievement in Construction award and HiViZ Outstanding Woman in Construction Award – these two women are paving the way for other South Australian women by demonstrating career opportunities available to them within the construction industry. Dena was recently a guest on Master Builders SA’s Building Perspective Podcast, in which she highlights the various opportunities and pathways available within the industry.

As an organisation, Sarah demonstrates with tangible action, our commitment to improving gender diversity in both our own business and in the wider construction industry. One example of this, is our Gold level sponsorship of NAWIC, the National Association of Women in Construction, a non-profit organisation that supports, promotes and celebrates women in construction and related industries.

To learn more about Sarah’s commitment to diversity or safety, contact us today.

HiVIZ Building Excellence Awards Outstanding Woman in Construction Award Winner - Melisha Willington
Awards, Careers

Building Excellence Awards and Outstanding Woman in Construction

Leave a comment

with Melisha Willington

The Master Builders SA Building Excellence Awards showcase and award excellence in South Australia’s building and construction industry. This year saw the introduction of a new award category – the HiViZ Outstanding Woman in Construction Award.

As a workplace committed to supporting gender equality, Sarah are incredibly proud, that our very own Project Manager, Melisha Willington was the recipient of this prestigious award.

HiViZ is a Master Builders SA program to inspire industry change by promoting equality at entry level, discovering and highlighting issues, empowering women to see new career pathways and facilitating the development of coordinated solutions.

Melisha shares her thoughts on what it means to be recognised as an industry leader through receiving this award.

What does winning the “Outstanding Woman In Construction” award mean to you?

It is fantastic to be recognised by the industry you work in. Getting to this point has definitely included some hard yards and challenges, so this makes a lot of that worthwhile. It’s something tangible to say that I’m performing in my chosen profession. I also reflect and thank every team I have worked with, as they need to be part of this recognition also. Success is not achieved alone. As this was the inaugural Hi-Viz Woman In Construction Award, it was exciting to be the first recipient and know that there is now another industry program promoting equality, change and empowering people.

Why is it important to include recognition for women at the Building Excellence Awards?

The construction industry is seen as the last frontier for women with the percentage of women sitting around 12% or so, compared to men. Research also shows that women are 40% more likely to leave the construction industry than their male counterparts, so retention is a big issue. Factors contributing to this are; excessive working hours and constant deadlines compared to other industries, with little flexibility to manage these challenges in the workplace. Women are still culturally seen as the primary care givers, so when starting a family, managing a career in construction as well as their duties as a parent can seem impossible.

At the moment it’s not quite a level playing field for women, so it is important for women to see other women recognised in the construction industry and to also see them in leadership roles. Recognition can be achieved through targeted awards such as the MBA and other industry associations. Hopefully this will show that women are valued and their challenges within the industry recognised; as well as provide some inspiration, to keep persisting, when things get tough.

I believe, that normalising women in construction is the key to shifting the cultural norms within the industry. This will only be achieved through raising the number of women in construction roles and through promotion of women within the industry.

What do you enjoy most about working in the construction industry?

I enjoy the continual challenges, as well as, learning and working with a team to achieve a common goal. I like working with different teams and people from all walks of life; working together, to see something transform, and knowing that you have been a part of creating that.

I studied design/architecture at university and this lead me into construction and eventually project management. I love the creativity of design and architecture but now love to see it in its built form. It’s a physical industry where the effort injected into a project is evident at completion, with a new building, interior fitout or community space.

How are you supported at Sarah as a women in construction?

Sarah Constructions practice what they preach in terms of diversity and gender equality in the workplace. This stems from the top in Sarah’s leadership team, filtering down through their workforce to become part of the daily culture. In my experience at Sarah, I have never felt that I didn’t have the same opportunity as the other male project managers. I have also felt that my opinion was taken into consideration and I was listened to.

Simple things that make you feel valued but not always experienced in every workplace. If I put my hand up for a challenging project that was a bit different to what I had previously delivered, they said ok go for it, instead of me feeling like I had to prove myself. I have felt overwhelmingly supported by Sarah and this has been refreshing at this time in my career. Support has come in many forms such as:

  • A senior management team that is genuine in supporting their staff in a practical sense but also in terms of their well-being.
  • Sarah are actively involved in industry programs that promote gender equality and diversity in the workplace and encourage their staff to participate and be involved in these programs.
  • Professional development through participation in a leadership program, regular opportunities to attend industry events and training opportunities.
  • Being nominated for not just one but many different industry awards.

What advice would you give to young women considering a career in construction?

It’s a challenging industry for both men and women but with challenge comes reward and a greater sense of achievement. Aim high, follow your passion, back yourself and don’t take any setbacks personally. Keep persevering and learn to draw upon the resources around you. People love to help. Find a mentor through opportunities like the MBA’s Hi-Viz program, to provide you with further support.

If you’d like to know more about working in the construction industry, click here for information about careers at Sarah Constructions.

Building Excellence Awards 2018                                                                         

Sarah is committed to delivering the best results for our clients. We apply our solutions focused approach to every single project we complete. It is with pride and acknowledgement for the efforts of our staff, that we accept recognition for delivering award winning construction.

Sarah received Building Excellence Awards for the following projects this year:

St John’s Grammar, Performing Arts Centre – Winner Excellence in Commercial / Industrial Building $2 Million – $5 Million

Monarto Zoo, Lions 360 – Winner Excellence in Civil / Engineering Constructions

University of Adelaide, Infrastructure Investment Programme – Winner Excellence in Commercial Fitout over $5 Million.

Click here for a full list of building excellence awards that Sarah Constructions has received.

Sarah Constructions, Putting People First in Commercial Construction
Careers, News, Our Values

Putting People First in Commercial Construction

Leave a comment

with Jayne Fitzpatrick, Project Administrator

Commercial Construction is often depicted by large buildings, steel structures and industrial design. From a process delivery perspective, this is correct but the fundamental aspect is missing, and the critical factor that drives the success of large construction projects, is the people managing the process.

This is why, at Sarah Constructions, our number one business value is People First – our team, our clients, our contractors. As stated by CEO, Adrian Esplin “without people we are nothing, our business is purely about people. We don’t make products; through our team of experts we manage advance problem processing. We’re a business that consists of people who are highly motivated to achieve great outcomes for our clients.”

The terminology ‘people first’ is one frequently used in business but not always delivered in practice. The Sarah difference is that we follow through, this isn’t just something we say, it’s how we do business. Sarah has a reputation for setting high standards and this comes from our total commitment to people first in commercial construction, from the top down.

To find out more about what it means to work in a business where people come first, we asked Jayne Fitzpatrick, Project Administrator at Sarah Constructions.

Employing The Right People, Not Just The Right Skills

Without a background in construction, Jayne is not the typical project management candidate for a commercial construction company. Her background is in retail management, where Jayne crossed into project management working for Myer, managing the build process as the client representative.

“I really loved the project management experience and decided on a career change. Sarah looked beyond the traditional requirements; that’s the beauty of the management team here, they see individuals and consider their fit within the company from a big picture, cultural fit perspective” said Jayne.

With a people first in commercial construction focus, at Sarah we place an emphasis on the business fit of each individual within the organisation. Specialised construction skills are ones that can be learnt, for those willing and ambitious to do so. “I bring business administration skills, financial planning, organisation and people management to my role. At the beginning, what I didn’t have was the building knowledge but Adrian recognised my passion and drive to learn; this, combined with Sarah’s commitment to foster and grow their staff, provided the opportunity for me to prove myself” said Jayne.

With a wide range of professional development avenues, at Sarah we are committed to finding and supporting the people with the best all-round fit for our business.

Jayne Fitzpatrick Onsite For Sarah Constructions

Jayne Fitzpatrick, Project Administrator at Sarah Constructions

People First In Commercial Construction, From Top To Bottom

Moving into the high pressure, fast paced commercial construction industry within a growing business, Jayne expected that it might take some time to get to know the Senior Management team. It therefore made a very positive impact on her that at Sarah, she walked into an open and friendly environment with no sign of an ‘ivory tower’ for staff at the top. “Even though there is so much going on, the Senior Managers take the time to know who you are and what you’re working on. This makes you feel special. The honesty and genuine interest in who I am flows into a business sense, it gives credibility and builds trust. From my perspective, this transfers to the client side where trust and a solid business relationships are absolutely critical.”

“I’ve been in business a long time, I’m at the stage in my career where cultural fit is very important to me. Some companies have values on a wall, I’ve not once felt that the Sarah values are tokenistic. The Senior Management team know who is working on what project, they make an effort to interact and know who you are. In the day to day business practice, they put people first. You feel a part of it, there is genuine interest in what you’re doing and this makes you feel valued for your contribution.” said Jayne.

This is reinforced by Adrian “it’s critical to the business that we get the right people. People who are focused on being part of something that’s bigger than themselves, part of the team that delivers positive business outcomes. Most people want to part of something more, a community, and as a business we provide that. We consciously foster the ability for our team to contribute and do something more than what they can as individuals. It’s all about people working together in teams and getting great outcomes for our clients.”

Two-way Relationships To Deliver Results

The advantage of putting emphasis on people first in commercial construction is that it builds the foundation for mutually beneficial business relationships. “Our focus is around making sure that the client is happy. We go beyond what is required, we bend over backwards to accommodate. This doesn’t mean that the client relationship is one way. We are transparent and build our business relationships based on trust. By making sure our clients are looked after, and that our contractors are looked after, we strengthen Sarah’s reputation as a leader in our industry” said Jayne.

Focusing on team contributions is an important aspect of how Sarah embodies the value of People First. The Sarah team includes both our staff and our contractors. “Our contractors represent us, so it’s very important to build our relationships with them. They represent Sarah at the cold front, so nurturing that relationship is a key factor in managing project delivery for our clients. We know that if everyone doesn’t pull their weight, then projects aren’t completed. We work through the challenges together and we celebrate our successes together; it’s not about individuals, it’s about the team.”

“As a whole nearly everybody that I have interacted with has that genuine desire to deliver results and to do it together” said Jayne.

Jayne sums up her experience working at Sarah within a People First approach by saying “I really feel like I have landed in the right spot at the right time in my life. There is not a day when I don’t want to go to work. I just enjoy the work and the team environment so much. There is genuine passion at Sarah, to build opportunities for people in our state. I’m proud to be even just a small part of that. I can see the direction the company is going and it’s great.”

At Sarah, People First means getting the right blend of people and experience. We look for people whose values and career goals align with the values and goals of the business. To deliver great outcomes for our clients, we support and nurture the people who are dedicated to working together, to achieve our business goals.

Successful Women in Construction: Site Supervisor Adele
Careers

A Pathway to Success: Women In Construction

2 Comments

By Adele Munro-Chambers, Site Supervisor

My motto is, if you think you can do something, give it a go. I’ve always wanted to work with my hands, so being female was never going to stop me. I’m Adele, trainee Site Supervisor at Sarah Constructions, and I want everyone to know there are loads of opportunities for women in construction.

Learning a trade

I didn’t always want to work in construction. I wanted to be a mechanic. I always loved tinkering with things with my dad. So, when I left school at 16, I got a job as a forklift driver for an automotive company.

After a while there, I realised I was never going to progress in my career. I needed an apprenticeship and when I saw an advertisement in the paper for a plumbing apprenticeship in the construction field, I applied.

My dad was a bit surprised I wanted to be a plumber, but he wished me luck anyway. Not many females applied for those jobs back then. Plus, I was a bit older than the other apprentices at 20. I think the company was curious to see what I could do, so they invited me in for a meeting.

I stood out. I got some good jobs because I think people wanted to test me. That worked in my favour. Every task I was given, I did it. So I was able to prove myself. They quickly saw I was just as good, if not better, than my male counterparts.

Working on construction sites

I was plumbing for nearly 14 years and reached Site Supervisor level. But I wanted to challenge myself further, so I applied for the Site Supervisor trainee position at Sarah Constructions.

What I’m doing now is so different to site supervision for the plumbing company. Then, I was concentrating on only one trade and liaising with fewer people. The scheme of things was quite small.

Now I’m site supervising for Sarah Constructions, my remit is much broader. I’m dealing with lots of different contractors and service trades, so that’s all quite new to me.

Developing new skills

I only started two months ago so I’m still learning on the job. There’s something new every day, and that’s probably the best part for me.

I’m using totally different skills to when I started out in the construction industry. I still feel like I need to fix things with my hands, but the skills you use daily as a Site Supervisor are quite different.

At the moment, I spend my day organising pre-pour checks, making phone calls and ensuring paperwork is completed. I always had pretty good organisational skills but this job is definitely improving them.

In fact, when I consider my career in construction, I think I’ve done so well partly because of the skills I possess as a woman. My strong interpersonal skills have helped. When you’re liaising with lots of different people, it’s important to be able to see things from their point of view. I think that’s why females are so good in these positions.

Equal opportunities at Sarah Constructions

Sarah Constructions hired me based on my previous experience, my desire to work hard and my aspirations to progress my career. I’m not at a disadvantage because of my sex; everyone is given a fair go. What Adrian says about there being opportunities for women at Sarah Constructions rings true as far as I’m concerned.

I’m lucky in being broad shouldered with the physical strength to do things men can do. But you certainly don’t have to be physically strong to be given a chance. It’s not about manual labour these days.

There are many ways to get into the construction industry and different roles you can do. You can train and get experience in management or engineering, finance or occupational health and safety. There’s also project management.

If you think you can do it, just go for it! You’ll be surprised. There are companies out there, like Sarah Constructions, that provide real opportunities for, and want females in their workforce. It’s absolutely worth having a go.

Women in construction can succeed

Maybe I felt like the odd one out to start off with, but now I’ feel like a valued team member. Everyone knows I’ve got a trade background and I’ve worked in construction for many years, so I know my stuff. And here, everyone’s opinion matters.

Perhaps from the outside looking in, it still seems as though construction isn’t an industry for women. But for women actually working in construction right now, that’s just not the case; there’s definitely respect and reward for women in construction.

Awards, Careers, News

The NAWIC Awards for Excellence – Melisha Willington – Outstanding Achievement in Construction Award

Leave a comment

The NAWIC Awards for Excellence –

Outstanding Achievement in Construction Award

Melisha Willington, Sarah Constructions

Sarah Constructions would like to extend our congratulations to our Project Manager, Melisha Willington, on her National Association of Women in Construction Award for Outstanding Achievement in Construction!

Melisha is a great asset to our team; she exemplifies the intent of the award, which is to recognise women who have made a significant contribution to the construction of projects and accomplished outstanding achievements.

Melisha is an exceptional Project Manager who excels in all aspects of her role, this award stands as a well-deserved reflection of the outstanding level of service she continues to provide for our valued clients and their projects.

She is a self-motivated and results-driven professional who thrives in a stimulating environment. Melisha’s experience proves her ability to successfully manage works in complex and sensitive environments. She drives herself to continually learn and adapt to an evolving industry, whilst upholding the highest standard of integrity.

Melisha is paving the way for all young women working within or looking towards the construction industry and is a leader and an inspiration amongst her peers.

She is an inspiring, motivating and positive role model for all employees at Sarah Constructions, and her role as Mentor for the next generation of project personnel in Sarah is highly regarded.

Career Progression

Melisha has been working within the Construction Industry for 15 years, developing a commendable wealth of knowledge and experience in residential and commercial construction.

Melisha was awarded an Alumni Association Certificate for outstanding academic achievement whilst studying at University of South Australia. Her career started with Nevarc Constructions where she managed over 600 residential contracts, simultaneously coordinating up to 60 contracts.

Melisha transitioned into commercial construction with ISIS group where she progressed from Project Coordinator to Project Manager. During her tenure, Melisha was recognized within the top 15 percentile of Project Managers nationally for “Perfect Delivery” for projects consistently exceeding company targets. In 2014, Melisha was acknowledged with a commendation by the Master Builders Association. Her desire for continual evolvement saw her pursue an opportunity with Dig-it Landscapes to experience another perspective of commercial construction.

Melisha’s drive to continually develop saw her join us at Sarah Constructions in 2016, where she has prospered with every project she has managed. Melisha is currently participating in the 100 Women in Property Program for the Property Council of Australia and she was also selected for the 2017 Sarah Constructions Building Future Leaders Program which nurtures our organization’s highest achievers.

What’s it like on site with Melisha?

 

Melisha demonstrates a high-performance culture through continuous development and engagement. This culture is attained through collaboration, team cohesion, mutual trust, respect and the celebration of project successes. Melisha’s success is fostered by the relationships she develops, achieved through a customer focussed approach.

Communication is pivotal in the underlying accomplishments of the current Adelaide University Projects Melisha manages. Melisha encourages her team to take ownership of their areas of influence and promotes accountability and decision making to support delivery results. Melisha believes everyone plays a critical role in project delivery, valuing the importance of feedback and continual progression of her team.

Melisha’s project delivery success is fundamentally built on strong relationships,

collaboration with Subcontractors and Suppliers is highly valued as they are leaders in their professions, providing insight into the advancing building technologies, which Melisha regards as a vital asset.

Testimonials received by Clients have commended Melisha for her early communication about potential challenges, resulting in prompt management by the Client and avoiding any cost implications. Where budget is challenged Melisha sources alternative and cost-effective solutions in collaboration with the Subcontractors and Consultants. A recent example of this approach occurred on the ThincLab Project where Melisha worked with the Subcontractor and the Engineer to identify an alternative solution that generated a 30% cost saving for the Client.

“The ThincLab was a high priority project for the University and resulted in significant pressure to ensure the ThincLab was operational from early May 2017.

Construction commenced in January 2017 and from the commencement of her appointment Melisha set in place a high-performance culture with her assistant project manager, site supervisors and trade contractors, where collaboration was emphasised in order to achieve faster than normal timeframes for the procurement, shop drawing, manufacture and site installation.

Under Melisha’s management there was not one single HSW related issue and even more surprisingly there were no complaints received from building occupants despite the need for extensive internal demolition and unexpected and complicated floor preparation works within an occupied University building.

The project was delivered on time and on budget and the quality of workmanship was excellent as was evidenced in feedback from the end users and key stakeholders of the facility.”

Sean Carrick, Project Manager – Capital Projects Delivery, The University of Adelaide