Jac McLoyd has never been afraid to get her hands dirty - in fact, that’s how her career started. On her 22nd birthday, shovel in hand, she showed up for what she thought would be a casual labouring job over uni holidays. Instead, she stumbled into the start of a 21-year journey in construction that’s taken her from muddy car parks to overseeing some of Australia’s biggest rail infrastructure projects. Today, she’s the Engineering Assurance Manager at CPB Contractors - and still proudly calls herself a fixer at heart.

In this episode, Jac shares how she went from Chinese medicine and studying pharmacy and to driving rollers on road projects, building a fish lift in Kangaroo Valley, and eventually finding her niche in quality and systems assurance. She reflects on what it's like being the only woman on site, how her neurodivergence shaped her approach to work, and why she stayed with one company for over a decade. Plus, she gets real about family life, returning to work as a new mum, and the mental load of always having something to prove.

Whether you’re just starting out or questioning your next step, Jac’s story is a reminder that you don’t need a master plan - just a good work ethic, a sense of humour, and the courage to keep showing up. Her career path wasn’t linear, but it’s living proof that there’s more than one way to build a successful, satisfying life in construction.

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Her Construction Career is made possible thanks to Growthbuilt, with the support of the NSW Government Women in Construction Industry Innovation Program.

Hosts: Sabina Kabalane and Kristy Filetti

Production: Interview Boss Media

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.