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As part of the #BuildingEquality Campaign, Darina Porter, Construction Economist (Senior Cost Manager) with Linesight Dublin shares her story.
My name is Darina, I am a Construction Economist (Senior Cost Manager) working in Linesight Dublin with a passion for architecture going back to junior school.
Continued Personal Development (CPD) is a necessity and helpful in career progression. Lifelong learning plays a key part in technology jobs and the ever-evolving workplace. Hearing construction stories will I hope encourage young women to take a look at the construction industry as a real career option. In any one lifetime, one can have three or more successful careers.
My third level education began in the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) studying Interior Design. This was followed by a full-time job with McNally & Duffy Architects from 1985 to 1991. I gained experience on a number of exciting commercial projects: Hotels Golf & Country Clubs, Nightclubs, several Bowling Allies/ Quasar, and Irish Pubs in IR/EU. I thoroughly enjoyed working with clients and members of the design team delivering successful projects.
In 1991 I took a career break to raise my son followed by two more sons and 10 years of pure motherhood. When my sons attended junior school I re-enrolled in DIT to study Construction Economics and Management. The course lead to a professional career in Quantity Surveying (QS) / Project Management (PM). Balancing motherhood and study is challenging, but with the help of my family I achieved a distinction.
Academic Achievements: During my time in college I joined the DIT team and won the Chartered Institute of Builders (CIOB) Student Challenge in (2004). We represented DIT firstly in a regional competition and then the CIOB UK & British Isles as part of a team of four. We were the first Irish university to achieve such a high accolade.
My QS career started in Boyd Creed Smith/Sweett, working on a variety of projects from residential housing to hospital projects and private office developments. In 2006 I moved to Healy Kelly Turner & Townsend where I worked as a post contract QS on the Health Care Team. Unfortunately, in 2010 due to cutbacks in government spending and on completion of four final accounts, I lost my job. During the downturn I worked part time in Banking. In 2015 I applied for a job in Bruceshaw later rebranded as Linesight. I continue to work today with a dynamic team in the Linesight pharma /healthcare sector. I look forward to work every day.
To learn more about the #BuildingEquality campaign and to share your own story, please visit our dedicated page here