A Bedford construction expert has highlighted the career opportunities for women within the industry.

Corynne Griffiths has taken on the role of Independent Quality Controller for Persimmon Homes Midlands, monitoring the progress of new build homes developments through every stage on construction.

Originally trained in art and design, she worked in a range of different jobs before switching careers into the construction industry in 2006.

“There are so many good opportunities to build a rewarding career in this field,” Corynne said. “I saw a chance to combine my design and analytical skills to develop an exciting new profession. I started on a Construction Management Degree and then progressed onto an NHBC training programme.

“At times it wasn’t easy to get taken seriously, as a woman trying to find a job in construction, and it took a little while to gain the respect of some male colleagues, but once I had proven myself capable and hard-working I became fully accepted as one of the team.

“Securing this role with Persimmon was the perfect post for me. I really enjoy the job, being out on site and working with site managers and contractors.

“I have a daughter with a sensory disability and Persimmon have been amazingly supportive with flexible working to enable me to take her to therapy appointments. They understand that people genuinely need to balance work and home to deliver the best for the company and its customers, so I cannot speak highly enough of them as an employer.

“I don’t think there is enough awareness of the wide variety of jobs there are within the construction industry, both for people starting out or those looking to retrain. This is a great sector to build a rewarding and sustainable career and I would love to see more women in construction.”

Her current role takes her onto building sites across Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, checking that plans and construction standards are being meticulously followed through regular quality inspection visits.

“Our focus is on getting things right, from the ground up,” said Corynne. “This is a relatively new role within the site management team, but it ensures that we deliver consistently across all developments.

“That is never an easy task when you consider every property is actually a hand-built product, crafted by a small army of bricklayers, carpenters, plasterers, electricians, plumbers and roofers.

“We meet challenges every day – from weather setbacks to the pandemic working restrictions – but there is a real sense of satisfaction every time we sign off a property ready to be handed over to its new owner.”

For information about careers with the company visit www.persimmonhomes.com/jobs