career exploration & workforce development ... FOR GIRLS!
Sinead always knew what she wanted to be when she grew up, a world traveler. She was fortunate enough to do just that, for a while, but regarding a career she had no idea what path to take. She went into business studies and then later IT but neither piqued her interest. She enrolled at Belfast Metropolitan College to study Hospitality Supervision and decided to get her Level 3 trade in Professional Cheffing. She came from a large family who were heavily involved in construction, so she had been exposed to the industry for most of her life but never really considered it as a career. While traveling to Australia she needed to get a 2nd year visa. She came across a gal doing traffic management on her way home one night and asked her how she might be able to get a similar job. That gal gave her contact information for her boss and the rest is HERstory!
While working as a traffic controller Sinead took interest in the heavy machines and cranes she saw rolling around the jobsite. She started out with forklift training and now she’s able to drive 10 different machines and holds 3 high risk licenses. She eventually returned home to Belfast and noticed the poor representation of women in construction. That’s when she made the decision to use her experiences finding success in the construction industry to help other women find their place in the workforce.
Sinead founded She Built it NI, a female-focused academy and recruitment company for the construction industry. Their services include mentoring, consultancy, diversity recruitment drives, training and job placement. Their goal is to promote gender equality and help women find the confidence to pursue a career in construction. They have won several awards recently including Best New Start Up Business 2021, Inspirational Women of the Year 2022, Top 100 Women in Construction and are nominated for a Rising Star Category for 2022.
Sinead says that if she could go back and give her 18-year-old self some advice, it would be to travel more and explore the world. Keep being you and don’t change to fit anyone else's mold of who they think you should be. She would also tell her to never shy away from an opportunity; the best years of your life are ahead of you; you’ve not seen anything yet!
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