IWD2022 Celebrating the Women of Fingal: Nicola Humphreys

In celebration of the achievements of the women of Fingal County Council this International Women's Day we're taking the time to bring you some of their stories and insights from recent months and years. We asked Senior Executive Engineer Nicola Humphreys to share some thoughts on her work. Also featured above is a video regarding the Hole in the Wall Road Extension, a project Nicola was very involved with which launched in December 2021.

How did you come to work for Fingal County Council?

After graduating with a degree in Structural Engineering, I worked in an Engineering Consultancy for a few years. Whilst I really enjoyed designing buildings and structures and overseeing them being built from the ground up, I was working for private sector clients with their own agendas. I wanted an opportunity to be involved in more diverse aspects of engineering and be part of an organisation that delivers services and projects that improve the everyday lives of people. So, when an opportunity arose for an engineering role in Fingal County Council, I applied and haven’t looked back since.

What attracted you to a career in Engineering?

I was sixteen years old doing my leaving certificate with no particular career path in mind. The school arranged an aptitude test and a subsequent session with a career guidance councillor who suggested engineering to me. From an early age I was interested in how things worked and how they were built. I also loved maths and technical subjects, so engineering felt like a natural choice. I believe that our society would not be able to function as it does without the work of Engineers. The infrastructure they help to design, build and maintain can benefit communities and individuals for generations. For me, this is what it means to be an Engineer, a professional who works on projects that not only enhance our physical surroundings but also improve the lives of citizens in our community.

What words of wisdom do you have for women interested in a career in Engineering?

Go for it. Don’t hesitate because it is currently a male-dominated industry. If you show an aptitude for engineering, nothing should stop you from achieving your goals. Be prepared to meet some obstacles. I have been addressed as the “lady Engineer” and have been on the other end of some choice comments which I can laugh about now. If you ignore the fact that you don’t meet the outdated stereotype of a typical engineer, others will be forced to ignore it too. Women’s ideas help the Engineering industry by bringing in more diversity of thought. It is great to see senior roles now being filled by more women in engineering and these women act as role models and mentors for female engineers as they progress through their careers.

What project are you most proud of in your career?

Whilst I’m very proud of various projects I’ve worked on since joining Fingal County Council in both the Water Services Department and the Planning and Strategic Infrastructure Department, one of the most impactful projects for me was when working in the private sector - the redevelopment of the Turks Head and Paramount Hotel in Temple Bar, Dublin which is a protected structure. Technically, it was a very difficult project and necessitated the façade to be retained whilst the rest of the building was demolished, and the new structure built up behind it. A substantial redesign was required during the construction stage following archaeological finds which included part of the Old Wall of Dublin, the exact line of which was unknown until then. It was a baptism of fire for me being on site inspecting various elements of the structure that I had designed. I knew every reinforcing bar in the building. I will never forget the feeling of pride I had at the opening night of the hotel and seeing the building come to life. That feeling has stayed with me throughout my career and is a continual motivator for me in bringing the projects under my remit to completion.

The Hole in the Wall Road was recently nominated for an ICE Construction Excellence Award. What does it mean to have the project recognised like this?

It is very important that strategic projects like this one, being delivered by the public sector, are recognised in the context of construction excellence. It takes a lot of advance work by local authority project teams to get projects of this nature to site. They generally progress through project phases including assessment, feasibility, planning, land acquisition, design, construction and typically take several years from start to finish. And so, when it comes to getting a project to site, it is very important that the quality of construction is to the fore. This project has been very successful in the delivery of a new high-quality roadway which includes footpaths and cycleways, a bridge over the River Mayne into Dublin City Council area and new flood management infrastructure. It’s benefits to the community include safer junctions, slower speeds, encouraging active travel in the area and increasing connectivity for all users. Importantly the project helps underpin Fingal County Councils ambitions to meet existing and future housing needs in the area. This project is a testament to the excellent working relationships between our works contractor, our consultants, our site team and the project team here in Planning and Strategic Infrastructure.