Associate Director, Consultancy, UK
I completed my BA in Interior Architecture and Design in 2008, and I always wanted to work in the construction industry. Because of the recession it was difficult to find a job straight out of university, so I worked in other sectors before making my move into the industry when I started a Master's degree in Construction Project Management.
I applied to the Mace Graduate Development Programme partway through my degree, but at the assessment centre I was told that I had too much experience, and that I was being put forward for an assistant project manager role - and the rest is history!
There's so much I've done that I'm really proud of. This spring I completed the Women of the Future programme as one of the first cohort, and I've recently completed the Developing Success programme which Mace runs in conjunction with Imperial College. I'm really proud of what I've achieved on both these development programmes.
I am also proud of the work I initially did with Deutsche Bank which led to Mace getting a place on their global framework, which shows the full confidence they have in our abilities. Both at Deutsche Bank and with our clients at Colt, I've built strong working relationships that have not only led to more projects for us, but the delivery of better projects as a result.
The result of the EU referendum is likely to have a big impact on confidence in spending on projects. If we do head towards another recession, I think the commercial fit out market will thrive compared to the residential sector, as there are always lease breaks and lease ends approaching which force companies to consider their position and working environment.
We're also seeing a move towards more collaborative spaces in offices and 'wow' elements to schemes, as companies want different things from their office spaces, such as tech bars, sofa areas, think tanks, as well as open plan layouts. I also think we'll be seeing more companies putting their people first when they're planning their next refurbishment, and planning around what they want out of their offices.