Helen Sutherland moved to Aotearoa as a young girl when her father took a Project Manager job at Fletcher Construction. She remembers growing up with conversations over dinner about construction.

“We often talked about the exciting projects Dad was working on and I always helped out with the DIY at home,” she says.

“The projects I remember him working on include the Trentham Computer Centre, National Library of NZ, Wellington Hospital and a pair of external seismic strengthening walls on the Wellington Telephone Exchange.

“Regrettably, I didn’t get into construction until much later in my career. I started out in Information Technology, but in 2012, while working for the Ministry of Justice, my role as Senior Business Advisor was disestablished along with so many others just before Christmas. I then decided to get a summer job as a labourer on a building site while looking for work.”

The drastic change in direction baffled many of Helen’s friends, but she thrived on site, doing a lot of things already learned from her Dad. “I absolutely loved it,” she says.

After a few months of following her dream on-site, Helen went back to the IT field to help pay the bills, but constantly thought about how she could get back into construction. This led her to study for her National Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety and she started a Diploma in Construction Management.

In 2015, Helen finally took a leap of faith applying for a job with Fletcher Construction as an HSEQ Administrator on a roading project and she hasn't looked back. 

"I’m glad I pursued this path. I genuinely feel it’s where I belong.  It’s an exciting and challenging project and I’m part of a wonderful team.”