I’m delighted to be part of the judging panel for the CN Workforce Awards 2025, supporting the celebration of the talent, commitment, and innovation shaping our industry’s future. With over 20 years' experience in talent acquisition, early careers, and social value—predominantly within construction and civil engineering—I’ve seen first-hand how impactful high-quality apprenticeship and graduate programmes can be. Currently, I lead talent and social value strategy Focusing on inclusive recruitment, career progression pathways, and delivering measurable social impact aligned to our projects. I work closely with delivery teams to embed early careers thinking into bids, pipeline planning, and community engagement—ensuring we don’t just recruit talent, but retain and grow it. I’m particularly passionate about social mobility and supporting individuals from underrepresented groups to access rewarding careers in construction. Having overseen the rollout of Skills Bootcamps, apprenticeship initiatives, and structured graduate programmes, I know what good looks like—and what truly transforms lives and businesses. As a judge, I’ll be looking for entries that demonstrate not just numbers and outcomes, but purpose, lived experience, and long-term commitment to people development. Whether it’s an apprentice making an exceptional impact on-site or a company reshaping its entry routes into the industry, I’m excited to shine a light on those who are building better futures for our sector.