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Bruntwood help Manchester Student Claire Gardiner celebrate in style as she's presented with Woman in Property Student Regional Award

On Monday 11th June Manchester Architecture Student, Claire Gardiner was joined by some of the North’s top women in property on the roof of Lowry House to help celebrate her success in becoming the regional winner at the Woman in Property Student Awards.

Amanda Harney, Gill Robinson, Cathy Stewart, Selma Carson and Jane Worthington all joined Claire on the roof of Bruntwood’s new property development, Lowry House, to present her with her trophy. The location could not have been more fitting as the ladies looked out over a city skyline covered in cranes, building sites and new property developments many of which will have been designed, project managed and promoted by like-minded women.

Claire and her five fellow finalists gave a presentation on marked coursework to a panel of property/construction industry experts and answered set questions. Amanda Harney, chairwoman of WIP Northern, said: “The finalists represent the creme de la crème of young female property and construction talent in the region, Claire is destined for great things in her chosen career”.

Claire’s career has been given a head start, as well as receiving £500 prize money donated by property developers Bruntwood, she was also awarded a paid summer work placement, and mentoring sessions from one of Woman in Property members. Claire was thrilled with her victory, she told us:

“Winning this award has opened up a so many opportunities for my future career, I am now working in an architectural practice in Manchester for the summer and have contacts in a range of other organizations within the industry. It’s been a fantastic opportunity to meet with members of the Women In Property, they’ve offered me real support and I’m proud to be a part of an organisation that helps women like me gain recognition in the property industry”

Selma Carson, head of asset management at Bruntwood, one the North’s leading property developers and one of the events judges commented,

“Encouraging woman into the property sector is really important and at Bruntwood we are strongly committed to helping people s careers grow, that’s why we were so keen to support the WIP event and donate the prise money. When I first started my career in the property industry as a women I was in the minority, but now at Bruntwood I am joined by many female colleges in senior roles such as Project managers, Building Surveyors and Sales Surveyors, its great to see how much women have progressed in this industry and I wish Claire all the best with her developing career”.

The success of Women in the property industry is in line with national trends, which have seen the economic activity rate of woman rise in contrast to the rate of men, which has actually fallen! Claire is a good example of these trends and is proud to represent the growing presence of woman in North’s property industry. Claire now goes on to compete against other regional finalists for the top prize of £1,000 in the national final.