International Women’s Day – an interview with Kate Cairns

Source: CLOCS UK

Kate Cairns BEng MSc DIC CEng CEnv FICE

Speaker | Trainer | Consultant – Cairns Consultancy

Ambassador & Trainer – CLOCS

Kate is a Chartered Civil Engineer, Chartered Environmentalist and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil  Engineers (ICE). She has driven change across the construction industry by instigating and contributing to two world-first standards in sustainability (CEEQUAL) and in safety (CLOCS).  She is a trail blazer, multi-award winner and inspiring role model.

  1. How and why did you get started in the construction industry?

I grew up on the beautiful wild beaches of Northumberland with awe and deep respect for the ocean, the weather and nature. I wanted my career to contribute to sustainable development: Construction has traditionally wreaked havoc on our planet; I wanted to help change that.

I read Civil Engineering at university after doing Maths and Physics (and English) A’ level. I was drawn to the combination of creativity, technicality and precision within engineering. The construction industry offered such diversity of opportunity; one could be in a design office calculating the loading on a building, on site overseeing construction, or liaising with the public and planning authorities about impacts. At the end of it all there was something tangible, useful, a piece of infrastructure that would serve society.

Full interview here

Back