Trenchless Woman of the Year – Past and Present

Jo Parker Receives the UKSTT’s Trenchless Woman of the Year Award 2024

First of all, congratulations on being presented with the UKSTT’s Trenchless Woman of the Year award.

1. What does it feel like to be recognised for what, for those of us that know you, has been a significant part of your working life?
It’s just amazing, especially as, being realistic, I am nearer the end of my work than the beginning!!

2. What does the Award mean to you personally (and/or to your family)?
For me it’s very special as I’ve always felt passionately that trenchless solutions should always be the preference. It’s a shame my Dad isn’t here to see this as he was the one who first suggested civil engineering to me as a career and my parents were always very supportive. I must also give a mention for my husband Neil who is also unfailingly supportive as well – and does enjoy a chance to travel to some of the NO Dig International events!

3. What was your background/experience originally and what brought you into the trenchless industry?
I studied Civil Engineering at Leeds University and went straight into the water industry after I graduated as it was just after the first reorganisation of the industry with a huge a workload so very exciting. I really became interested in trenchless when I was made Head of Network Asset Management at what is now Affinity as avoiding digging up the road seemed the sensible thing to do.

4. What has been your most challenging trenchless experience over those years (project/product development)?
Managing the Section 19 renovation programme was very challenging as everything needed to run on time as there were strict requirements about the notice you had to give customers. The other challenge was relining a trunk main in Harrow Wealdstone. By choosing to reline it did mean we had to take one of the twin mains out of service completely which meant very careful risk assessment, but we completed the project at a fraction of the cost of open cut and with considerably less disruption.

5. Can you detail your specific actions or activities related to the advancement of trenchless technology during your career?
I’ve always been interested in the issue of buried asset records as accurate records are essential to be able to choose the most appropriate trenchless technique. I was pleased to establish a trade body for buried asset surveyors which made a substantial contribution to PAS 128 and after much pushing and several false starts we have a National Underground Asset register which still uses some of the approaches developed in a research project I managed 20 years ago!

6. What do you see as being your own greatest personal achievement in the trenchless industry?
I think the work of raising the profile of repairs in the water industry and getting people interested in the concept of low dig or no dig repairs. We now have techniques coming through and some major research projects which I’d like to think was partly down to me nagging people and presenting at leakage conferences!
(NB The answers to questions 5 and 6 are almost interchangeable!!)

7. Have you any now or when you started in trenchless did you have any role models in the industry? Who? Why?
I don’t know about ‘role models’ but I have had some wonderfully supportive people in the industry. I was very lucky to get to know Ted Flaxman way before I got interested in Trenchless Technology. John Heavens was incredibly supportive when I started up as an independent consultant and Norman Howell has been and still is incredibly supportive. I still miss Ted and John.

8. What do you currently see as the UK’s and the industry’s most urgent challenges and where do you hope to see the trenchless industry in the next 10 to 20 years?
The UK’s challenge is to restore the huge network of water and sewage pipes in this country to a proper working order and to recruit the staff to do that. So much expertise has been lost over the past few decades and we need to restore the trenchless industry in water to where it was 20 years ago. I’d like to see much more use of robotics. I hope in 20 years that youngsters will see the industry as something they want to join because of its progressive and hi-tech image.

9. If there is anything else trenchless related you would like to mention that we have not covered already, please feel free to comment.
I think one of the good things I’ve seen recently is that people now recognise the strong link between trenchless and sustainable construction so I hope this will promote the use of trenchless techniques. I also hope that the diversity in the industry will improve – women are starting to be more visible and that’s what’s so great about this award – it all helps – but there’s a long way to go and still a lot of work to do for other less well represented groups. We cant afford to ignore pools of talent wherever they are.