The annual scholarship is intended to encourage women into the sector, with the winners able to enrol on the RICS Diploma in Adjudication
The competition was born of a desire to boost the number of women undertaking the adjudication diploma, and therefore the number of women working within the construction industry, which has been shown to be on a decline recently.
Roughly 8% of adjudicators working in the construction dispute resolution sector are women. The competition not only sponsors the winners to undertake the diploma, but encourages more women to apply for the diploma and take part in the competition.
Three participants won the RICS Women in Construction scholarship
Elaine Huskinson, Victoria Clapp, and Iona Morrison are the winners of the competition, with Huskinson working as a senior quantity surveyor for Vextrix, Clapp working as a senior associate quantity surveyor and cost, commercial and quantity surveying technical principal at Mott MacDonald, and Morrison working as a senior project manager at Turner & Townsend.
The winners were interviewed about the competition and their intentions:
Elaine Huskinson
What inspired you to apply for the scholarship?
Honestly, working on a response to an adjudication. I remembered how much I enjoyed the work, but also how much I had to learn. I felt that I could have been better positioned to support my client if I had only applied for the scholarship last year. I chose not to submit my application through a mix of imposter syndrome and my parent’s health requiring my support. I regretted not applying and decided to be brave and see what could happen if I went outside my comfort zone. My aim was to make it to the essay stage, but really, I wanted to win the scholarship.
As someone who has struggled with impostor syndrome, the application process has allowed me to reflect on my own achievements and see what others have always seen in me. I would recommend any woman that is considering completing the course to apply.
What do you hope to gain from the Diploma in Adjudication?
Having worked for a tier one contractor preparing evidence and as Contract Admin and Employers QS at Vextrix I have seen both sides of the adjudication and have a full appreciation in the work entailed on both sides.
By completing the course, I will have a greater understanding of what it takes to review submitted documents and what is involved in planning and running an adjudication.
I want to position myself as someone who can provide advice on how to prevent engaging in disputes and provide greater support in the preparation of evidence for adjudication when it is necessary. I thoroughly enjoy reviewing contract practice and providing advice on lessons learnt for future projects.
By continuing to develop my own skills and knowledge I am also setting a positive example to my peers and junior members of staff on being able to continue to their development and learning.
Victoria Clapp
What inspired you to apply for the scholarship?
My degree was in business and law, so the contract side of Quantity Surveying has always been my draw to the industry. Completing the Adjudication course and getting more involved in the dispute resolution sector has long been a part of my career plan, as I put on my RICS Fellowship application back in 2021 that my future plans were to complete this course, so when the opportunity arose, it was a no brainer to go for it!
What do you hope to gain from the Diploma in Adjudication?
I hope to gain a comprehensive understanding of construction adjudication, including the legal principles building upon my previous qualifications, and practical skills required to resolve disputes effectively as I am passionate about continuous learning and development.
I also hope to grow my network within the industry. Earning this diploma from the RICS will also enhance my professional credibility and demonstrate my commitment to high standards. I intend to apply the knowledge and skills gained from this diploma to manage and resolve construction disputes more efficiently in my role as a Quantity Surveyor, and perhaps one day apply for the RICS Presidential Panel of Adjudicators.
Iona Morrison
What inspired you to apply for the scholarship?
When I first started my career as part of a graduate development programme, a colleague and mentor who I was working closely with was a qualified adjudicator. He would explain the legal and contractual ways of assessing disputes as well as the process of adjudication and would implement these skills while working as a project manager. This sparked my interest in dispute resolution and from then on, I have always been interested in understanding contracts and developing analytical skills for assessing claims.
I was excited to learn about the RICS DRS offering the ‘Women in Construction Scholarship’ to undertake the RICS Diploma in Adjudication as it demonstrates the commitment of the RICS to promoting greater diversity in a heavily underrepresented sector of the industry, providing an opportunity for more women to develop their skills in dispute resolution.
What do you hope to gain from the Diploma in Adjudication?
By undertaking this diploma, I hope to gain a more in-depth understanding of the skills required to become an adjudicator and the wider legal principles of construction disputes. Disputes arise on almost every project and having a comprehensive understanding of how to assess these can be extremely beneficial to my clients, mitigating lengthy claims, reducing time and cost impacts and maintaining strong client relationships.
Gaining an advanced knowledge of contractual and legal frameworks will allow me to provide clear and reasoned advice to my clients from the outset, ensuring the right decision is made quickly and will allow me to build confidence in assessing more complex disputes later in my career. By completing this diploma, I also can apply to an Adjudicator Nominating Body panel and promote myself as an adjudicator in the wider market and advance my career within the construction industry.
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