Reflections of a year: Achievements, Ambition and Advice.

Reflections of a Year: Achievements, Ambition and Advice

by Jessica Lawrence

Jessica Lawrence, Assistant Clerk of Works, recently celebrated her one-year anniversary at calfordseaden! Jessica reflects on her first year at calfordseaden, her achievements, ambitions for the future, and provides advice for women looking to get into the construction industry.

Role at calfordseaden and Professional Background

I have worked as an Assistant Clerk of Works for approximately three and a half years and have around nine years’ experience within the construction industry. At calfordseaden, my role as an Assistant Clerk of Works entails completing site reports after site inspections, conducting snagging inspections, and end of defects inspections. I am currently working on three residential projects, where I work closely with my experienced colleagues in the Clerk of Works team. Working with experienced and esteemed colleagues provides me with the opportunity to learn from them and grow within the role. I am also in the process of completing a Quality Control Management Foundation Degree through the Quantity Surveyors International (QSi).

Settling in and Work-Life Balance

When I first started here, I quickly settled into the job role due to my prior experience but was taken aback by the scale of the projects that calfordseaden work on. The first week was quite daunting but thankfully I was welcomed by a very supportive and knowledgeable team. Since joining, everyone has always offered their guidance, which has been very helpful. I have grown in confidence and thoroughly enjoy my day-to-day tasks, as I see each day as an opportunity to enhance my skills.

The work-life balance provided at calfordseaden is great and the best I have had during my career in the industry. Ensuring work-life balance is of high importance at the Practice and it is evident through the number of regular activities and team get togethers we have. These play a significant role, as the role of a Clerk of Works requires a lot of individual work and responsibility.

Personal Achievements and Favourite Projects

I am proud of my achievements and the progress I have made during my first year at calfordseaden. A main accomplishment would be running a project individually, with only some supervision from team leaders. This is a significant step toward becoming a Clerk of Works and a big achievement for someone with my level of experience. Despite going back to school after a big gap, I have achieved high grades within my first few modules at university.

Two projects I have worked on over the past year that stand out for me are St Crispin’s House in Norwich and Cherry Hinton Hub Library in Cambridge. St Crispin’s was the first high-rise building I worked on, and the scale of the project was a real eye-opener. Cherry Hinton has been a personal highlight as I have primarily worked on residential projects, so working in a different sector was interesting and provided me with useful experience.

Aims and Aspirations at calfordseaden

In the short term, I aim to complete my university course. In addition, I look forward to becoming a full Clerk of Works and subsequently applying for and achieving full membership in the Institute of Clerks of Works and Construction Inspectorate (ICWCI). I am excited to continue working with my colleagues at calfordseaden, further developing my skills, and working on new and exciting projects.

Advice for Women in Construction

A piece of advice I would like to provide for women looking to get into the construction industry is to never give up trying and always maintain self-belief. At times, you may think the job is not right for you, but I recommend persevering and working hard to overcome those doubts. You may find it tough initially, but your achievements and progress will be recognised and opportunities will arise, as a result.