Promoting diversity within the construction industry

Liam Dempsey is an Assistant Engineer within our Transportation business. He joined the Warrington office as a first-year graduate almost three years ago and at the moment, is involved with the design of the East West Rail acoustic barriers and the structural monitoring for the M60 Barton High Level Bridge.

Earlier this year, Liam was recognised by both Stonewall and Building Equality with the North West Ally of The Year Award for his efforts to promote diversity within the construction industry, particularly on behalf of the LGBT+ community. #InsideAtkins took this opportunity to have a chat with Liam about why supporting the LGBT+ community is important to him and what it means to be an ally.

this is a image of Liam with a drag queen

Earlier this year, you were recognised by Stonewall, an LGBT+ charity and Building Equality, an alliance of companies that support LGBT+ people in the construction industry. How did these achievements come about?

I got involved in promoting diversity in the construction industry, particularly on behalf of the LGBT+ community, because I saw numerous engineering companies marching at Manchester Pride in 2018 and was surprised not to see our business there. Soon after, I reached out to our regional LGBT+ network (Equilibrium) to see if I could assist in getting us involved in Manchester Pride 2019.

I joined our internal network and became a Manchester Building Equality representative for the Atkins business, which opened up doors to meet like-minded individuals across the construction industry. I was really proud that we were able to contribute funds and get our LGBT+ colleagues marching alongside other construction companies at Manchester Pride last year.

I’ve also been working on our internal diversity and inclusion roadshows. I’ve organised the Warrington and Glasgow events, where I was able to bring together representatives from the other employee networks and give them a platform to discuss key topics with colleagues.

You’ve been recognised by the industry for your ally-ship. What does being an ally mean and how do allies benefit the LGBT+ community?

this is an image of a team smiling holding an award

An LGBT+ ally is somebody who supports the rights of LGBT+ people, and I believe most people are allies. Personally, I want people to feel comfortable with their sexuality and gender in all aspects of their lives, including their workplace. As the vast majority of people are straight, in order to promote LGBT+ equality in society and workplaces, support is needed from everyone.

Why is it important to you to be actively involved with the LGBT+ community and to support them?

It’s important to me because I want to educate myself. I feel comfortable at work and therefore, I want other people to have that same comfort. For people to perform to their best ability, they must feel like they can bring their whole selves to work.

Historically, the construction industry has had a bad reputation and a tendency for graduates to go back into the closet when they start work. This has to change from a mental health and productivity perspective. I hope my ally-ship has helped others, and I’m really keen that my story might motivate others to continue pushing this forward.

What more do you think we as a business could do to highlight the importance of allyship?

For me, one of the best things the company can do is promote the use of the rainbow lanyards, which is a visible display of acceptance and solidarity towards LGBT+ people. Friends have told me that seeing their colleagues wearing a rainbow lanyard makes them feel more comfortable at work as they know colleagues will accept them for who they truly are.

I also think it’s important that everyone feels they can talk about LGBT+ issues even if they accidentally say the wrong thing. As a company we need to create that environment, which allows people to become a vocal ally rather than a bystander.

List #1

Our articles

Returning from maternity leave to support & leadership at AtkinsRéalis

Preview

General

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

10/11/2024

Summary

Hello. I'm Karen, a Senior Programme Manager in Project & Programme Services at AtkinsRéalis in the UK. Born to Ghanaian parents and raised in North London, my journey has been one of resilience

Preview

My story of leadership and inclusion after maternity leave

Building leadership and engineering skills through hands-on experience at AtkinsRéalis

Preview

Canada

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

10/10/2024

Summary

From engineering internships to leadership roles: My journey at AtkinsRéalis Discovering leadership through my civil engineering internships Allô, my name is Karolane. I work at AtkinsRéalis

Preview

Civil engineer Karolane shares how you can grow a career at AtkinsRéalis through internships, skills exchanges, and leading early career development programs.

Early careers

Engineering a greener tomorrow: My career in sustainability at AtkinsRéalis

Preview

Europe

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

10/08/2024

Summary

At AtkinsRéalis, we believe that sustainability is more than just a goal - it shapes everything we do. For over a decade, our team members, like the one you'll meet today, have b

Preview

Meet Freya, one of our Associate Sustainability and Carbon Consultants.

Discovering careers in energy and engineering: A conversation with David Haboubi

Preview

Middle East

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

10/02/2024

Summary

In the rapidly evolving world of energy, having the right foundation in nuclear and net zero energy is crucial. AtkinsRéalis stands at the forefront of this sector, offering abundant opportuniti

Preview

Discovering careers in energy and engineering with David Haboubi.

Turki Ghesheyan, a member of our Saudi Graduate Program

Turki Ghesheyan improved his skills through our Saudi Graduate Development Program

Preview

Middle East

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

10/01/2024

Summary

We interviewed Turki Ghesheyan on his experience with the AtkinsRéalis Saudi Graduate Program. Tell us a little bit about yourself My name is Turki, I am an Architectural Engineer who graduated from

Preview

Turki Ghesheyan shares his experience with the AtkinsRéalis Saudi Graduate Development Program.

skyline view of solar power panels, in desert.

The Renewable and non-renewable energy market in the UAE

Preview

Middle East

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

09/30/2024

Summary

At AtkinsRéalis, we have a team of local, regional, and international experts in the UAE who are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions in the market to meet the needs of our clients. The UAE i

Preview

There’s a diversity of career opportunities on offer in both markets in this expanding economy.

Want to ignite your career potential?

Preview

Europe

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

09/30/2024

Summary

Hello, my name is Sherif, and I work at AtkinsRéalis in London. As a principal fire engineer, I'm proud to "engineer a better future" every day here, specifically as our work relates to shaping

Preview

How I found career growth, exciting projects, and a supportive, flexible environment at AtkinsRéalis.

People drive results

Hinkley Point C

Preview

Europe

Content type

Projects

Publish date

09/30/2024

Summary

Hinkley Point C (HPC) is the first nuclear power station to be built in the UK since the 1990s. Technically complex and the country’s largest infrastructure project – our talented people from

Preview

Hinkley Point C (HPC) is the first nuclear power station to be built in the UK since the 1990s. Technically complex and the country’s largest infrastructure project – our talented people from Atkins are supporting its development.

Nuclear

Do your dreams matter at work?

Preview

General

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

09/30/2024

Summary

Hi! I'm Alina, an associate director specialized in transport infrastructure engineering. I lead the North-West Estimating team in Project & Programme Services here in Manchester. Over the past

Preview

Alina's journey in transport infrastructure engineering and work-life balance at AtkinsRéalis

A group of architects sat at a table with building blueprints.

Five ways architects are shaping the landscape of the Middle East

Preview

Middle East

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

09/27/2024

Summary

Across the evolving landscape of the Middle East, Architects play a large part in designing and planning complex building structures that are in line with groundbreaking innovation. The constructio

Preview

We’ve put together five ways that architecture jobs are shaping the future of the Middle East.

Building and places

Shaping the future of business strategy & development

Preview

Middle East

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

09/24/2024

Summary

In the fast-paced world of consultancy, architecture, and project management, the need for forward-thinking leadership and innovative strategies has never been more critical. At AtkinsRéalis, we

Preview

Introducing Farah Al Shather as our new Regional Director of Business Development & Strategy in the Middle East.

A picture of Dilini smiling, along with her laptop

Want a future of fire opportunities?

Preview

Europe

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

09/13/2024

Summary

Hello, my name is Dilini! Two years ago, after completing my doctorate in structural fire engineering, I began practicing in the UK fire engineering industry. I'm proud to have contributed

Preview

Collaboration, flexibility and learning: how my team & I shape the future of fire engineering

People drive results

View all

List #1

Related jobs

Senior Wayfinding Consultant

Salary

Location

London

Job Type

Flexible Working

Full Time

Career Area

Transport planning

Market

Transportation

insights Promoting diversity within the construction industry

Equality, diversity and inclusion

insights Promoting diversity within the construction industry

Interested? Find out more about life at AtkinsRéalis Sign up to receive the latest content tailored to your interests

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Interested? Find out more about life at AtkinsRéalis

Sign up to receive the latest content tailored to your interests