#IWD2021: Louise Allen, Depot Manager, Manchester

CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE: 

LOUISE SAYS: 

Women thinking about a career in construction - be fearless – you have nothing to fear!

Hello!  Please introduce yourself.

Hi, I’m Louise Allen and I’m the Office Manager at our Manchester Depot.

When we aren’t in lockdown I enjoy socialising with my friends. I also like to read, meditate and love listening to music – anything from Abba to ZZ Top (please don’t judge me)! I also have two dogs (Charlie & Lola) who constantly keep me entertained. My ideal holiday would be to go to Borneo to see the Orang-Utans or to the Maldives and do nothing but sunbathe!

How long have you worked at Quattro/AB2K and when did you start?

I have worked at Quattro Plant since 2008. I started as a temp administrator before being employed full time as a Depot Administrator in our Wigan Depot. After around three months I moved down to Rugeley as we had a new depot there before moving back up North to our Manchester Depot in 2009. I was promoted to Office Manager (the position I still hold) and I am also the Acting Depot Manager.

What interested you about the industry, if anything, or was it fate?

I think a lot of it was fate but I really enjoy the fast pace of the business.

What qualities, in your opinion make a good female leader in a male dominated industry?

I think resilience, persistence, loyalty and patience are all great qualities to have. It also helps to have a great sense of humour and to be able to laugh at yourself!

Confidence goes a long way and trusting yourself with the decisions you make but also accepting that you won’t always get everything right! I’m also a big believer in listening to people, finding out what they like and looking for alternatives. In this industry (as with many others) you need to be able to react at a moment’s notice i.e. changes to orders, cancellations, new jobs etc and knowing how to prioritise is essential.

Why do you think there not more women in construction?

I think that there are less women attracted to this industry because they are put off by the dominance of males, particularly in senior roles. I would really love to see more women in construction as we continue to be in the minority and we do have so much to offer.  But we need the applications.  We need more females to feel fearless and apply.

Is Quattro/AB2K different or similar to where you have worked before?  If so, how?  What’s it like as a place of work?

Quattro is definitely a unique place to work! It seems to be a rule of thumb that if you have been here for a few years that you tend to be here for a long time. I can’t quite pinpoint why that is for others but for me personally I feel like I am part of the Quattro family. I have previously worked for an IT Company and a Holiday Company in Tenerife and they are worlds apart to how we operate. It’s a much more relaxed atmosphere here – don’t get me wrong, we have a lot of time when our heads are down and ploughing through the workload but we also value the times when we can have a laugh too.

Name a female you admire and why. (This could be someone at work, an author, an actress, a celebrity, a charity worker, an entrepreneur, a family member – anyone)

The female I admire most is my mum. My dad worked away during the week when we were growing up so she was alone with my older brother and me for a lot of years. She gave up work so that she could look after us full time and she has helped me to become the woman I am today. She is gentle but strong, honest but sensitive, courageous and genuine.

What message would you like to give to the men reading this?
Please answer with 3 points: what you’d like them to

• continue treating women with respect
• start accepting that we are all equals
• stop competing – we are all in this together