Veronica Curmei is a Site Administrator with Cleary Doyle. In this role, she engages with the company’s many employees and subcontractors and assists with the smooth running of projects and site organisation.
Veronica also liaises with project managers in keeping accurate records of all Cleary Doyle site personnel, administers contracts with subcontractors and maintains architectural drawings to ensure that the most up-to-date are available when required.
What does your work involve?
My work requires substantial knowledge of Irish contract law and some aspects of employment law, disciplinary procedures and other fundamental rules.
There is a strong legal focus, particularly as I draft and finalise contracts between Cleary Doyle and subcontractors.
My qualifications include a Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of State, Moldova, and I have a Diploma in Legal Studies and Practice (Irish Institute of Legal Executives-certified).
Drafting and finalising contracts between Cleary Doyle and subcontractors is one of the more satisfying aspects of my job, as I get to use my legal education.
Mine is both a challenging and rewarding job, as I ensure that every contract sent out adheres to the highest standards and is in line with relevant contractual requirements.
While having legal knowledge helped me ease into my role, I have learned many new skills through practice on the job. I am grateful to Cleary Doyle for the opportunities given to me to develop my skill set.
I speak several languages. For instance, speaking Romanian and Russian can be very useful on site. For a site to function, it is imperative everyone fully understands the site’s rules. At inductions, if a subcontractor doesn’t understand what is being said, I can step in to translate. Russian has proved to be quite useful, as subcontractors who are Lithuanian or Latvian speak Russian as a second language.
What motivates you?
I am delighted with the duties and responsibilities that I have in the company and really love my job. Every day is different. My work is dynamic, challenging and constantly changing. These are the things that motivate me. My job keeps me driven and wanting to know and learn more.
There are many aspects to my role. But the best part is the satisfaction of building relationships and having a sense of achieving something at the end of each day.
What are the highlights of your career to date at Cleary Doyle?
While Cleary Doyle has many ambitious projects, I was delighted when I was appointed to the Cherrywood Business Campus team. Having looked at the project plans, it can only be described as truly beautiful and an example of why Cleary Doyle is such a great contractor. Being a team member on such a grandiose scheme gives me an incredible sense of pride.
How has Covid-19 impacted your work?
Some of my new work challenges include adapting to the changes brought about due to the Covid-19 pandemic. These include working remotely and taking more precautions when on site. Cleary Doyle has been incredibly helpful in supporting me to transition to working from home.
Why would you recommend a career in construction to young people?
I would recommend a career in construction to young people because it gives you the opportunity to collaborate with many different talented people and assist with exciting building projects. Seeing progress on projects that I am part of and buildings rising from the ground gives me a great sense of fulfilment. The euphoric feeling of seeing a project you were part of completed is really difficult to put into words.
What is it like to work for Cleary Doyle?
The first thing I noticed about Cleary Doyle was that the management team is very encouraging and supportive of staff. From the moment I joined, I was made to feel part of the team.
As a woman, I have always respected that everyone at Cleary Doyle is treated equally. Hard work is recognised, and all ideas are accepted. I’ve never been worried about putting an idea forward or being creative. Perhaps, most importantly, I have always felt respected by everyone.
There is no difference between the skills and added values women and men bring to a project. We must encourage more young women to see this and choose construction careers. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you are a woman or a man; if you love what you do, you can achieve great results.