At Harland & Wolff, we’re proud to celebrate International Women’s Day!

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality.

Marked annually on March 8th, International Women’s Day (IWD) is one of the most important days of the year to:

    • celebrate women’s achievements
    • raise awareness about women’s equality
    • lobby for accelerated gender parity
    • fundraise for female-focused charities

This year’s theme is #ChooseToChallenge and without further ado, we’re proud to present the women of Harland & Wolff!


 

Introducing Tammy Todd

Tammy is Harland & Wolff’s HSE Administrator/Officer.

A widely varied role, just some of her duties include providing HSE (health safety & environment) inductions for visitors and new employees, carrying out safety interactions with members of staff, assisting with risk assessments and updating the company HSE tracker.

Prior to her role at Harland & Wolff, she gained experience in other industries such as construction and telecommunications. It was when she was working as a Site Administrator on the Ulster University Project in Belfast that she first became interested in pursuing a career in health and safety.

Tammy has completed several HSEQ (health, safety, environment & quality) focused courses since leaving college to increase her knowledge and awareness of this area. Just some of these include, NEBOSH General Certificate, NCRQ Certificate in Health and Safety and Personal Injury Liability, Internal Auditors Course and First Aid at Work.

Tammy has also completed a level six qualification in Health and Safety and on occasion assisted the Ambulance Service.

This year, Tammy will be continuing her studies with the NEBOSH Environmental Certificate and completing the NCRQ Diploma.

Who inspires you?
“My mum – she is my biggest supporter when it comes to improving myself through education and furthering myself within my career and is the one person who knows me better than I know myself.”

Favourite Quote
“You may not be able to control every situation and its outcome, but you can control your attitude and how you deal with it.”


Introducing Joanne Milne

Joanne is an accomplished Payroll Officer with almost 20 years payroll experience.

Providing a first-line Payroll service across all Harland & Wolff sites, Joanne is responsible for the timely and accurate payment of all employees across both sites, managing time and attendance and ensuring payroll compliance.

She is a certified payroll professional with CIPP and is certified in Payroll and Pensions Management.

Who inspires you?
“Paula Radcliffe.”

Favourite Quote
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”


Introducing Laura McAuley

Based in Belfast, Laura provides a first-line HR service to all Harland & Wolff sites.

Responsible for Employee Relations, Recruitment, Selection & Induction, Laura, ensures Harland & Wolff adhere to and comply with all the most up to date employment legislation.

Joining the team as an HR Assistant Laura quickly progressed to Officer level in a short space of time.

She is currently studying for a Diploma in HR Practice and is a member of the CIPD.

Who inspires you?
“Michelle Obama”

Favourite Quote
“There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish.”


Introducing Rosalind Friel

Rosalind (Roz) Friel is the Executive PA to the Managing Director at Harland & Wolff with almost 20 years’ experience in the PA sector.

Roz offers assistance to the whole team as well as the MD.

She is responsible for the smooth running of the office and the staff requirements whether it’s organsing travel arrangements, to arranging meetings, to ensuring there is enough stationary in the office.

Who inspires you?
“Rosa Parks – “the first lady of civil rights”!”

Favourite Quote
“What goes around comes around.”


Introducing Karen Creighton

Part of the Accounting Department, Karen Creighton is our Assistant Accountant.

Completing her Accountancy degree while raising her family, she is currently studying towards her professional accountancy exams.

Karen is extremely proud of being able to continue her education and career while also bringing up two children.

One of the proudest moments of her life was seeing her son lift an Olympic Gold medal as part of Team Ulster in the Special Olympics Ireland games – she believes the encouragement young people give to each other is an inspiration and something everyone should learn from.

Who inspires you?
“All the women in my family are inspirational, from my grandmothers, mother, aunts, cousins, daughter, nieces – they are the strongest women I know and no matter what life has through at them they always come out fighting.


They know that by empowering other women is the most powerful gift they can give – don’t look down on someone unless you are helping them up. Together we can achieve far more than going alone. “

Favourite Quote
“I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” – Audrey Hepburn”


Introducing Siobhan Houghton

Our Trainee Accountant, Siobhan is currently studying towards completing her CIMA exams.

Having studied Geography at the University of Ulster and graduating with a 2:1, she then completed a PGCE in Geography from Liverpool Hope University, graduating with an OFSTED rating of Outstanding.

 

Siobhan began working life as a Qualified Geography Teacher and taught at a primary school for three years.

She joined Harland & Wolff as a Temporary Admin Assistant in 2017 and became a permanent member of staff as a Trainee Accountant six months later.

Her greatest accomplishment is tutoring a group of 20 musicians, aged between 15 to 18, to win a Silver Ulster Medal, and perform at all-Ireland level representing their local Comhaltas branch, county and region on a world Stage.

Who inspires you?
“My Mum. She considers herself an ordinary woman but has dedicated her life to raising four children, running a farm, helping her husband in his work, all while maintaining her own career and I have never once heard her complain that she is tired. She is the strongest person I know.”

Favourite Quote
“A woman is like a teabag – you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.”


Introducing Emily Kennedy

Beginning her Harland & Wolff journey in November 2020, Emily works as part of the bids team as Bid Manager.

A varied role, she is responsible for managing opportunities and tenders from qualification to contract award and ensuring appropriate bid management and governance is applied.

Emily fell into bid management five years ago when she took a career break to become a stay-at-home mum.

Whilst she loved being afforded the time to be able to be at home with my kids, in 2016 she decided to return to the world of work.

Prior to Harland & Wolff, Emily worked at Thales and Capita as a Bid Manager working on both Defence and IT opportunities. Her experience from both of these has helped her in her role today.

Emily’s biggest accomplishment is actually just getting through life itself! She says ‘being a busy working mum of four young kids and managing a busy job is challenging but rewarding, both personally and professionally.’

Who inspires you?
“Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, is hugely inspiring.


She is an authentic leader who shows compassion and support, genuinely cares for the people of New Zealand and leads from the heart. Her handling of the terrorist attack in Christchurch and the Covid-19 has been nothing short of impressive. She has been decisive in her response to Covid-19, always putting people first.


We can all learn from her leadership style – build trust and respect; be decisive; have empathy and embrace diversity. She is also proof that being a mum is not a barrier to having a successful career.”

Favourite Quote
““One of the criticisms I’ve faced over the years is that I’m not aggressive enough or assertive enough, or maybe somehow, because I’m empathetic, it means I’m weak. I totally rebel against that. I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong.” – Jacinda Ardern”