One of the amazing things about the Construction Industry is that the end product that we collectively work on is for the people.”
My name is Celine Kayrouz and I'm a 26 year old Construction Site Manager at Bouygues UK. I’m Lebanese and I’ve lived there for most of my life. I came to London to do my Master’s degree and I’ve been living here for 4 years now.
I’ve been working in the industry for 3 years now, after initially joining Bouygues UK’s 2 year graduate program as an Assistant Site Manager and receiving a promotion to Site Manager in September 2020.
"I'm really passionate about sustainability and would love to find and implement greener processes on site to reduce the impact of Construction on the environment."
What made you want to become a Site Manager? Did you always know what you wanted to do?
I had good grades on my STEM subjects at school and thought the logical thing to study at university would be Engineering. I think a part of me wanted to prove to myself and to my community that I could do a “man’s job”. The more I got to know about the job role, the more I felt like it would be what I’d like to do, because it’s very diverse and far from being repetitive. I also like the idea that you deliver a finished product that would last years.
What is a Site Manager? Learn More on our roles page.
What route did you take to becoming an Site Manager?
I went to a French school in Lebanon and did the French Baccalaureate exam with a specialisation in Mathematics. I then did my undergraduate studies in Lebanon at the American University of Beirut, where I got a BEng degree in Civil Engineering. Following that, I did my master’s degree in Construction Economics and Management at UCL in London.
As a Site Manager, what does a typical day at work look like for you?
It would be really hard to have a typical day as a Site Manager, but to me that’s the beauty of it - your days are never the same. As activity progresses on site, the works you oversee will differ and - depending on if you are at the preconstruction, construction or completion stages - you would have different areas to focus on. But to answer the question, I would say a typical day would be going to site early to set everyone to work, making sure each subcontractor knows what their tasks are for the day, ensuring health and safety is maintained at all time on site, checking the quality of the works and monitoring the progress of the activities.
I get to work with a wide variety of people, such as architects, structural engineers, planners, cost controllers, quantity surveyors and the whole range of sub-contractors from electricians, to bricklayers, painters, carpenters etc. One of the amazing things about the Construction Industry is that the end product that we collectively work on is for the people.
Residential Project Celine worked on
"We create spaces for people to live, study in, interact with or even walk on. This is why we need to focus more on creating sustainable buildings and infrastructures that last longer through a construction process, that aren’t very destructive to the environment."
What’s the best thing you like about your role?
I believe the Construction industry is fascinating and ever evolving, which makes my days very diversified and non-repetitive. I also enjoy being constantly challenged to solve problems and come up with innovative ways to make processes more efficient and cost-effective. Finally, the satisfaction of delivering a finished product that lasts for years.
I’ve enhanced my communication skills and learned to adapt to my audience. I also realised the importance of teamwork because we can achieve great results in an efficient way if all parties join forces in working on a project. And finally, being curious and trying to take in as much information as possible - there’s so much to learn by asking knowledgeable people, watching skilled people working or reading guidelines and other available references.
What is it like to be a woman working in your Role?
I can always see the shock on people’s faces when I tell them about my role, it’s not common to meet a female site manager. There aren’t many women in construction, especially among the people who are based on site. I tend to find that I'm usually the only woman working on the project. It’s great to defy stereotypes and normally men are very respectful, but I feel like unconsciously I have this additional pressure to perform well and leave no room for making mistakes because I wouldn’t want them to associate it with the fact that I’m a woman
Do you think there is a stigma or misconception preventing young women from joining the industry?
Yes of course there is. Some people think that working on a construction site is all about getting dirty and doing a ‘practical’ job, where in reality it takes a lot of planning and attention to detail. I think women have great managerial skills and are generally very thorough, which makes them perfect site managers.
What advice would you give a young woman thinking about a career in your role?
Just go for it, don’t worry about what people think or say. If that’s what you want then you’ll be able to do a great job - being a woman shouldn’t change anything. Take in the world around you (your home, architecture, bridges, your school) and figure out how things are made. Talk to people in the industry and don’t be afraid to ask questions about your options and interests.
Celine on one of her Project Sites