“When you’re job hunting, don’t focus on titles - focus on your skills.”
That’s the advice Hannah Jackson wishes more people heard.
Finding purpose in a new career
Hannah is a social value coordinator at Kier, she spends her days supporting communities, working with schools, and helping deliver real, measurable impact on projects. But her journey into construction didn’t start in the way you’d expect.
Before joining Kier in August 2025, Hannah spent years working in events and public engagement, including large-scale community festivals at the University of Cambridge.
“I’d always been passionate about helping communities,” she explains. “But I didn’t even know what ‘social value’ was at the time.”
It wasn’t until she stepped into a startup operations role and took on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) responsibilities that things started to click. From there, she realised that the work she’d always enjoyed - connecting people, creating impact, and engaging communities - had a place in a completely different industry.
Starting fresh in a new industry
Like many people entering construction for the first time, Hannah faced a few challenges early on.
“The acronyms were a big one, in the first few weeks, I’d sit in meetings thinking, ‘I have no idea what half of that meant.’”
But what stood out most was the support around her.
“People have been really welcoming. You can always ask questions, and there’s a genuine understanding that not everyone comes from a construction background.”
What does a social value coordinator do?
Her role is shaped by each project and its different goal, this could mean:
- Visiting schools to run mock interviews and careers sessions.
- Supporting apprenticeships and T Level engagement.
- Organising volunteering opportunities for project teams.
- Delivering environmental initiatives alongside local communities.
“Every project has its own targets,” she says. “Sometimes it’s education-focused, sometimes it’s environmental, it really depends on the client and the community.”
Bringing projects to life, beyond the build
One of Hannah’s proudest moments was on a recent project, where leftover materials from site were donated to a local voluntary, community, and social enterprise group (VCSE) , where people with learning difficulties used them to build bird and bat boxes. Those were then returned to site, creating a full-circle community and environmental impact story.
“It’s been amazing to see the whole journey come together,” she says. “That’s what motivates me, seeing the impact of what we’ve done.”
It’s a reminder that construction isn’t just about the final building but about the people, communities, and environments affected along the way.
Skills that made the difference
For Hannah, success in the role isn’t about having a construction background but it’s about the transferable skills.
These are the skills that she brought from her previous role and further development in her current role.
- Building strong networks across communities
- Prioritising workloads in a fast-paced environment
- Communicating with a wide range of stakeholders
“These are things I’d already developed in my previous roles,” she explains. “I just apply them in a different way now.”
Why Kier?
Hannah spoke about the culture; we have here at Kier.
“I really liked how open the company was to change and improvement. There’re always conversations happening about how we can do things better.,”
“It feels like a place where your voice is heard and where people genuinely care.”
Rethinking careers in construction
Hannah is quick to challenge common assumptions about the industry.
“I think people limit themselves by focusing too much on job titles,”
“Every company has a range of roles it’s not just what you expect.”
Her advice?
“Think about your skills and what you enjoy doing, not just the industry. You might be surprised where you fit.”
Making a difference, every day
At the heart of it all, Hannah has one simple motivation.
“I just like helping people and making a positive difference, we spend so much of our lives working it’s nice to feel like you’re doing something meaningful.”
And that’s exactly what her role allows her to do every single day.
Does Hannah’s journey sound like yours? If you’ve got the skills but aren’t sure which path to take? explore our roles and see what's right for you.
