Topic People
Date 09 Mar 2026
In our two-week celebration of Women in Construction Week (1–7 March) and International Women’s Day (8 March) on the theme of ‘Give to Gain’, we talk to Group Communities & Social Value Manager Suzie Ellis, and Megan McDeen, Early Careers Manager, about the leading role they’ve played in developing Mentoring the Next Generation, an initiative focused on encouraging young women to pursue careers in the construction industry.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
Suzie: With over 20 years in construction, I’ve witnessed significant progress in our industry. I’ve been very lucky to have had great support and guidance throughout my career and it gives me great satisfaction providing that same guidance to the next generation of women. Hopefully I’ve contributed to paving the way for future women to have a smoother path to achieving their goals.
Megan: I’m proud to be a woman in the construction industry. International Woman’s Day provides a great platform to showcase all the amazing women we have in the business and wider industry. I hope that people hearing from inspirational women and the great work we are doing as a business are proud to be part of it too.
Tell us more about the your work on Mentoring the Next Generation.
Suzie: I am one-third of a women-led team that designed, developed, and is delivering the 'Mentoring the Next Generation' assemblies and modules. Mentors from our business have been paired with students over a three-year programme that aims to provide upskilling of students' communication skills for the workplace, career matching to their interests, and guidance with CV writing and interviewing.
Working collaboratively, we have successfully scaled the programme from its initial concept to a proven pilot. We have increased the number of schools we are working with from five to 12, and are now mentoring a total of 145 individuals across the UK.
By integrating feedback and evolving our approach, we are currently moving towards formal Industrial Cadets accreditation ensuring a high-standard, recognised legacy for next generation.
What is the wider impact of your work?
Suzie: Collaborating closely with the Early Careers team allows me to provide vital regional information and community insights that support recruitment. This partnership significantly amplifies the Galliford Try brand within local talent pools.
By aligning our project-specific community outreach with our Early Careers objectives, we create a targeted pipeline of opportunities that convert local engagement into high-value apprenticeships, T-Levels and graduate placements.
In addition, every community initiative we deliver serves as critical evidence for our competitive bidding and procurement process. By documenting our local engagement and quantifying increases in new employment, apprenticeships, and work placements, we provide potential clients with the auditable data required to win work.
Megan: The work that we do within Early Careers is integral to changing the face of construction, addressing the skills shortage and showcasing career opportunities available within the industry. By attracting and recruiting new talent into the industry, we are adding value to the teams across the business as well as providing career opportunities to a new generation of young people.
How do you make sure that we continue to support our communities including our next generation of women?
Suzie: Our Social Impact Managers are the driving force behind our community engagement, working tirelessly across the regions where we operate, aiming to transform lives. These professionals do more than just engage, they actively inspire the next generation of female talent. By embedding themselves in communities, our managers offer structured opportunities with dedicated outreach to build a diverse and skilled workforce.
On a personal note, what is the biggest change you would like to see happen to support women in their work journey at GT?
Megan: The number of senior female leaders across the business has increased in recent years, which is so inspiring! I’d love to see this continue and for our business to celebrate those women and champion them as roles models and mentors. With this type of network, we can support and motivate women across our business at any stage of their career.
A special mention also goes to Molly Splevings - the completing third of the team behind #MentoringtheNextGeneration on the recent birth of her baby.