After studying Business and Technology at Queen’s University, Leanne got a job with McLaughlin & Harvey as PA to the Construction Director, a position which gave her an opportunity to get a good overview of the construction industry.
“I’ve always been highly motivated and was eager to enhance my career within the company. This was a chance to learn about the construction industry and focus on specialised fields to successfully work my way up the corporate ladder,” says Leanne.
As she progressed to other positions within the company, Leanne had the opportunity to work on a variety of construction schemes in the retail, education, commercial, leisure & transport sectors.
She explains: “I’ve been very privileged to work on some landmark projects, including the £29.5m extension to the Belfast Waterfront Conference & Exhibition Centre, which now includes 4,000 square metres of additional multi-purpose event space. This was Belfast City’s Council’s first use of BIM on a major project and it was delivered using advanced modelling techniques, which minimised on-site clashes and maximised the efficiency of design and construction.
“When I started my Foundation Degree at Farm Lodge in 2015, I was programme co-ordinator on the London Luton Airport project. The £72 million redevelopment which was recently completed involved a combination of new-build, extension and refurbishment works. Both landside and airside works were successfully carried out within a live airport which remained fully operational throughout the contract,” said Leanne.
Juggling family life, career and higher education study as a mature student was an extremely daunting challenge and Leanne admits she couldn’t have managed without the support of her family, employer and College lecturers.
She continues: “Having the opportunity to work and study simultaneously has been extremely valuable to me, in terms of both academic performance and my employability skills. It has increased my knowledge of the construction industry tenfold and has given me a better understanding of my future career direction within the industry.
“Managing time, feeling guilty, juggling family relationships and gaining support are all issues that many mature students face. The lecturers involved on my course were a great source of support throughout but I couldn’t have returned to higher education without the backing of my employer McLaughlin & Harvey, particularly David Larmour and Gary Bell and the endless support from my parents, son and fiancé Dermot.
Leanne’s hard work paid off handsomely and on completion of her course in June, she was promoted to Trainee Design Manager with McLaughlin and Harvey.
“My time at Northern Regional College was very beneficial to me professionally and contributed greatly to my progress within the company,” she comments.
Pat Condren Course Director of the Foundation Degree in Building Technology and Management congratulated Leanne on her success. He said she scored consistently high marks in both exams and coursework throughout her three years at the College and was an inspirational role model for the other students.
“Everyone in the class benefited from Leanne’s connections with local industry as she was able to arrange some very interesting site visits for her classmates. When she completed the Foundation Degree with Distinction, Leanne was promoted to Trainee Design Manager in the company and I know that she feels her time with us contributed greatly to her professional progress.”
A Foundation Degree comprises academic study integrated with relevant work based learning with an employer. It is a higher level qualification and is validated and rewarded by universities. Northern Regional College offers Foundation Degrees in a range of subject areas including Childcare Computing, Engineering, Counselling, Health & Social Care.