Meet Shannon Young - Women in Construction Week 2024

Meet our HR Advisor Shannon Young! Shannon grew up around machinery and construction sites and believes it’s a great industry to be a part of.

1. Tell us about your role at Scot JCB and what a typical day looks like?

I work as a HR Advisor, it's a really varied role which I love because no two days are the same. As a big company that's always growing, a typical day often involves recruitment whether it’s doing interviews or welcoming new staff to the team, I love doing this as I get to go out and about and visit our depots across the country. I also help organise training across all aspects of the business, helping ensure everyone is kept up to date with all the latest technological advancements and health and safety certification. Another big part of the day is supporting employees and managers across the company with any HR related queries that might arise.  

2. Why did you want to work in the construction industry?

My family have always worked in the construction industry, I've grown up around machines and on construction sites and I guess I just feel at home here. It doesn’t always have a reputation for being the most “glamourous” industry, I guess, but it’s a vital to society and I find people in construction to be some of the most hard-working and down to earth people and that makes it a great industry to be part of.  

3. How does it feel being a woman working in a historically male dominated industry?  

It's a great place to work, despite the size of the company and the geographical distance between depots it retains a family feel to it and everyone gets along. It’s always a laugh and people will go out of their way to help you out if needed. I also find the culture at Scot JCB to be really positive and people are not shy to say thanks or well done if you’ve helped them out which is really refreshing.   

4. What do you think businesses could do to attract more women into the industry?  

I think there is a lot that can be done on the whole to give women equal opportunities in the workplace regardless of which industry you are talking about, I think when it comes to the construction industry in particular the biggest barrier is the lack of representation and limited exposure from a young age. But initiatives like the women in construction week is a great way to dispel some of the myths about the industry and hopefully give confidence to more women to get into construction. Initiatives in schools are also great as they can really encourage young women to embark on apprenticeships and see themselves becoming the next generation of joiners, project managers, and engineers.  

5. What advice would you give to women interested in a career in the construction industry? 

To any woman thinking about joining the construction industry I would say… do it. It’s a rewarding career in a fast-paced environment where you will constantly be learning new things and no two days will be the same. It’s a growing industry that will never not be essential to society and at the moment there is a big skill shortage across the sector, so the opportunities to build a long-lasting career are vast.