After having graduated with a 1st Class Honours in Politics and International Relations, in 2013 Rita triumphed out of thousands of applicants to attain a place on the TfL Project Management Graduate Scheme.
The scheme enabled Rita to develop her competency through a series of six-month placements in different areas of the business, allowing her to gain experience in all stages of the construction project lifecycle. She excelled in taking on real responsibility from early on in the scheme, and managed a variety of high-profile and politically-sensitive projects. Projects included: Ruislip Depot area refurbishment and Lillie Bridge asset relocation to facilitate the £1bn Earl’s Court Development; commercial retail developments; critical repair of Stamford Brook Bridge to extend the lifespan of the bridge and track by 20+years; Prudential Ride London; enabling the British leg of the Tour de France; train testing & commissioning facilities; and other award-winning projects to bring better cooling and ventilation to hotspot stations on the Jubilee, Bakerloo and Victoria line. During her time on the graduate scheme she was awarded a prestigious secondment to Hong Kong MTR to engage in “best practice” knowledge exchange concerning persistent construction issues in rail.
Rita is currently a Project Manager leading multi-million pound construction projects on the £5.4bn Four Lines Modernisation Programme. With a heavy focus on civils, mechanical and electrical works, Rita is project managing the construction of complex signalling equipment buildings in logistically challenged spaces in Hammersmith and Uxbridge. The Four Lines Modernisation programme is set to increase the capacity of the subsurface network by approx 33%, provide faster and more frequent journeys, increase service reliability, as well as improve the customer experience on the network. It is the largest signalling project in the world, bringing much needed improvements to London’s public transport infrastructure.
For her efforts, last year Rita was shortlisted as a finalist for Young Rail Professional of the Year 2018, and recently won a coveted position as a judge for the National Rail Awards 2019. She is an avid mentor and member of the TfL BAME and Women’s Staff Network groups, as well as the TfL & Siemens Girls Careers Network. She coaches and engages other young women into construction and STEM related roles.
Rita recently graduated with a Distinction in MSc Project Management. In an effort to gain more insight into common construction industry issues, she undertook a study that focused on the role of hidden barriers women face in attaining leadership positions in construction. Her work has recently been published.