Paula started life as a Civil Engineering Apprentice which earned her a WES WE50 Current and Former Apprentice award in 2019. Since then she has become an active member of the Tyne and Tees Cluster, a WES Fellow and Chair of the Climate Emergency Group.
Her career has been wide ranging and varied and has included significant roles on high profile projects including the Thames Barrier, Hinkley Point C and DUBAL Aluminium. She is a Chartered Fellow of the ICE and CMI. Paula currently works for Sir Robert McAlpine doing her dream job where she helps staff with their professionally qualifications and manages the Social Value for her project, she Co-Chairs the Gender Equality Network.
Paula is also a Trustee of the ICE and the High Tide Foundation, the Honorary Editor and Panel Chair for the flagship ICE Proceedings and sits on several strategy groups. She is regularly invited to speak at national and international events on a range of topics including engineering, diversity and sustainability and is a visiting lecturer at Teesside University.
Paula strongly believes in inspiring our next generation and educating everyone to work towards an equitable and sustainable future. She is the driving force behind Engineering Together which brings together a wide selection of UK and International Engineering Institutions and bodies to work collaboratively to raise awareness and understanding of engineers and engineering. She set up Primary Voices to impress the need for urgency climate action whilst providing everyday solutions to help tackle the climate crisis and The Line to tackle every day micro-aggressions and inappropriate comments.
Paula’s work in the industry and education has earned her many awards and accolades including the prestigious European WICE Award Lifetime in Engineering for 2021.