Emma Bewley

I am a Capital Projects Specialist, Accenture.

I help large construction projects improve the way they work, through using new digital ideas. I support construction projects to re-think the way we build our buildings and infrastructure in the UK. I help solve problems that engineers might face while building a new piece of infrastructure. ”

I applied to do Civil Engineering while at school. I took a gap year and worked for Network Rail. I applied to be a sponsored student, and got sponsored by the Institute of Civil Engineering & a construction company. I studied Civil Engineering for four years at university. Each summer of my degree I worked for the construction company, doing things like pouring concrete!
I applied to Accenture, and 6 months later I began working in Technology Consulting for large construction projects!

One of my proudest achievements so far was speaking at a conference about Digital Twins in Construction and receiving excellent feedback!

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  • What does a typical day at work look like for you?

    Quick morning team meeting to catch up and run through plans for the day. Followed by a 1 hour client interview or workshop to gain knowledge about current ways of working. Then, spend a few hours researching key themes and discussing new ideas with my team e.g. learn about how digital twins could be useful for assurance in construction. Lunchtime, I try to get outside for a walk/run. Then in the afternoon, I might write up my research into a few slides to present to my team and my client. Also have chat over a cup of coffee with someone I haven’t met or talked to in a while. Then, spend an hour reviewing my colleagues work and providing feedback. Followed by final preparations for the next client meeting, and discussing any other requests that have come my way during the day.

  • What advice would you give to your 15 year old self

    Ask lots of questions, have big ambitions, be willing to try new things and don’t be afraid of failure!

  • Who or what inspired you to get into engineering?

    I kept learning about the world’s problems in my geography lessons (urbanisation, coastal erosion), and I wanted to help solve these problems!

  • What are your favourite hobbies, or interests?

    Running, especially park runs. Coffee catch ups with friends. Playing squash. Travelling the world!

  • What are the best and worst things about the job?

    Best thing is that it is so varied, I regularly change project which means I get lots of different experience!
    Worst thing is that sometimes it can take a long time to see the impact of your work.

  • Where do you see your industry in 25-50 years' time?

    I would love to be leading a new construction project in the UK, but the way we deliver the project has drastically changed! We’re using new digital technologies to deliver the project quickly and more sustainably. And we’re seeing the impact of the infrastructure to improve people’s daily lives.

  • Have you had any career setbacks or challenges you have had to overcome?

    I’ve been rejected from a lot of jobs… over 20 different companies by the time I joined Accenture. Some of them I had a lot of interviews for. But I chose not to take it personally, and I moved on and applied for another. It’s quite normal, and I know many friends have applied for a lot more than me! Applying for jobs actually gives you a great opportunity to learn about a company, and helped me decide which career path I wanted to follow. If I hadn’t had all those rejections, I wouldn’t have had the incredible 3 years I’ve had at Accenture, where I’ve been so well supported and encouraged to grow!