AN award-winning operations director has encouraged women considering careers in the construction industry to grab any opportunities with both hands.
Kellyanne Conway has worked with Paisley-based JR Scaffold Services for more than 20 years, having initially joined the business as an office junior at the age of 16.
After working her way up the ranks, Kellyanne is now part of the company’s senior management team and was recently presented with the National Access & Scaffolding Confederation’s (NASC) President’s Award in recognition of her exceptional contribution.
The award was open to all 500 NASC members across the UK and was designed to showcase unsung heroes in the sector who have gone above and beyond.
Kellyanne was nominated by The JR Group MD John Horne, who was inspired by her work ethic and the vital contribution she makes to the team. Kellyanne joined a contingent from JR Scaffold Services who travelled to London for the ceremony, telling Project Scotland that she never expected to win ‘in a million years’.
“It was our MD John who decided to nominate me,” she said. “I wasn’t aware until they told me I was a finalist.
“I definitely didn’t expect to win. I was very nervous at the thought of having to do a speech, but as the night went on, I realised there weren’t any speeches, so I calmed down a bit!
“All the candidates were wonderful. I just didn’t think in a million years that I would win. I was happy just to get to where I got to, but winning was fantastic.”
At the time of the award win in November, John Horne said, “When I heard that the NASC were on the lookout for unsung heroes within the industry that really drive businesses forward, I knew we had to shine a light on Kellyanne and all that she has done, and continues to do for us at JR Scaffold.
“Kellyanne has kept our business grounded in our roots and focused on helping to support the communities around us, which has always been at the core of our business since we launched in Govan 28 years ago. Kellyanne’s commitment, loyalty, tenacity, and drive has helped build JR Scaffold to be the successful business it is today. She has been an integral part of its growth and helped push forward its reputation as a brand that cares.”
Kellyanne has witnessed a number of major changes within The JR Group over the years, including the firm’s transition from a scaffolding company to a major building and construction business with around 200 employees and an interest in everything from housebuilding to timber systems.
It is the scaffolding arm of the business in which she remains predominantly involved with, overseeing projects including the Scottish Government’s Warmworks initiative, which JR Scaffold secured a place on as a delivery partner. The scheme, which is designed to see thousands of Scottish homes made warmer, will run for several years, with JR Scaffold supporting projects with scaffold structures.
Despite the increasingly complex and high-profile nature of the projects JR is involved in, Kellyanne said one thing which hasn’t changed in two decades is the family ethos at the heart of the firm.
“The business has just grown over the years and gone from strength to strength,” she added. “A number of us have all grown together.”
Despite working in a male-dominated sector, Kellyanne, who has progressed from office junior to office manager and, as of last year, operations director, is proof that great opportunities exist for women.
When asked what advice she’d give to young women considering construction careers, she said, “Just grab everything with both hands. You can put yourself forward. This industry is a male-driven industry but if you’ve got a good team behind you, you can drive things forward and be successful.
“I’ve just gone from strength to strength. I think it’s my personality as well; I get on with everyone and treat everyone the same.”
Kellyanne concluded by revealing that 2024 looks like being another busy year for JR Scaffold, including the company’s key role in a ‘massive’ contract with Cockenzie Power Station in East Lothian.
Acting on behalf of Luddon Construction, JR will be working at the site as part of a wider project by Scottish Power Energy Networks and has been tasked with removing asbestos insulation and re-insulating the perimeter of the internal and external walls of the power station in its entirety.
Scaffolding will be built in phased sections – some reaching up to 23 metres high – built both from the ground, and also from the higher mezzanine levels, to ensure all areas of the site are inspected for the hazardous material and re-cladding.
The project is planned to run for approximately 80 weeks and within each phase of the project, scaffold works will be timed in line with specifically planned power outages to allow the team to maximise the work.
Due to the complexities of the project, almost three years of detailed planning was carried out.
