Seminar In Person

Women Thriving in Construction – The research and the reality

by CIOB Reading

Event details

  • Edith Morley Building, Reading
  • 17 June 2025
  • 05:30 PM - 08:30 PM BST

Event fees

CIOB member

Free

CIOB Non-Member

£25.00

Summary

Truly an event not to be missed. Join CIOB and 3 amazing guest speakers to hear all about the reality and success of women in construction.

Please note: this event is for over 18’s only.


Our amazing guest speakers...

Anna Piña

Anna is a chartered construction project manager, lecturer, and the founder of Self-Project Management Advisors. She is a PhD candidate at the University of Reading, researching women in construction. Her doctoral thesis concerns an exploration of the experience of women who own and manage small construction firms in the UK. A small business owner herself, Anna is deeply passionate about promoting gender diversity and inclusivity within the construction industry.


Jennifer Makkreel

Jennifer Makkreel has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from the University Of Ottawa and has over 20 years of experience in construction project management in Australia, Canada and the UK. She has previously worked for one of North America’s largest main contractors before moving to client side project management at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada. In the UK, Jennifer was the Head of the Programme Management Office for Oxfordshire County Council prior to joining the University in 2014 where she is the Acting Head of Capital Projects and the Programme Manager for the Humanities and Social Sciences portfolios of projects. In this capacity she is Project Director for the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, and the Estates Representative on the Global Leadership Centre Project Board.

Jennifer has been a member of the CIOB since 2008, and Chair of the Oxford Hub Committee since 2018. She has also been a Members Forum representative on both the CIOB Finance Committee and External Affairs, and has been a Client Champion since 2022.


Lucy Wiltshire

Lucy has over 30 years of construction industry experience working with various Tier 1 contractors in the Southwest and Southeast.

Having studied BSc in Quantity Surveying part time at UWE, Bristol, this fuelled her passion for championing vocational routes into a career in construction. It was also the start of Lucy’s 35- year continuous journey with the CIOB, having first joined the Avon Centre committee in Bristol in 1990. When she moved to Reading in 2000, Lucy became part of the CIOB Thames Valley Centre.

In 2017, Lucy joined the Department of Education’s Construction Panel to develop the content of the T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning. This qualification was one of the first T Levels to be offered in colleges across UK in 2020 and is a landmark in the transformation of post 16 qualifications. Lucy now has a place on the IfATE’s Construction Route Panel, reviewing apprenticeship and T Level standards.

Lucy enjoys networking with other construction professionals and is Vice-Chair for CIOB Oxford Hub. This appointment followed her tenure at CIOB Reading Hub, where Lucy held various posts over a 25-year period. Lucy is currently partway through her FCIOB submission.

Further Details

Location:
The University of Reading's Whiteknights Campus - Van Emden Lecture Theatre, Edith Morley Building, Whiteknights Campus, RG6 6EL

Time:
Arrival from 17:30

Refreshments:
Networking buffet will be provided.
Please specify any dietary requirements when booking.

Parking:

  • There are no parking restrictions after 5.00 pm on the Whiteknights campus.
  • Sat nav postcode. If you are using a sat nav or GPS device to navigate to the University, please use the following postcode: Whiteknights campus main entrance RG6 6UR.


Public transport from Reading train station to UoR Whiteknights campus:

  • Getting to Whiteknights campus from the centre of Reading is easy. The 21 and 21a buses run from Reading train station in the town centre to our Whiteknights campus at regular intervals, 24 hours a day.
  • The number 21 & 21a stops on campus - Whiteknights House and Pepper Lane entrance. Please get off the bus on the ‘Whiteknights House’ bus stop (Building number 27 - C3 zone).
  • A single bus journey will cost you £2.00 (a day ticket is £4.00. You purchase your ticket on the bus and will need either the exact change or a contactless bank card).
  • The taxi rank can be found outside the Reading Train station. A taxi will cost you approximately £8.
  • You can find out more information at https://www.reading.ac.uk/about/visit-us


How can we help you get the most out of this event? We want to ensure accessibility for all of our members. Please contact us in confidence prior to attendance and we will do our best to answer any questions and support any additional needs you may have.

Contact

Gemma Lovell
Member Services and Events Coordinator
glovell@ciob.org.uk

Please note: this event is for over 18’s only.

Agenda

  • Agenda
    17:30
    Registration
    17:45
    Networking and refreshment (nibbles and refreshments included)
    18:30
    Presentation and Panellists
    19:30
    Q & A session
    20:00
    Close