Paula Chandler, 52, originally from Ashington in Northumberland, is a national design director for a construction firm – and is now a judge at the Women in Construction awards after winning the lifetime achievement award in 2023.
“From my personal experience growing up in the north east of England, I would say it was actively discouraged to for women to get into the construction and engineering industry,” Paula said.
“When I was doing my work experience I was shipped off to a council office to answer the phones, despite me asking for an opportunity to go and get involved.
“In my first job interview, it was an all-male panel, and they had me running round the room asking design and technical questions, which I loved.
“And at the very and of the interview one of the panellists asked me if I could make a decent cup of tea.
“My whole world came crashing down.
“Because it hit me that in that one moment, with that one statement – they weren’t taking me seriously.”
Paula said she questioned the interviewer, and asked if he had asked the other candidates, who were all male, the same question.
She got the job – and said she “set about changing those perceptions from the inside out”.