What happens when a decade away from the workplace becomes your greatest leadership advantage?

In this episode of Site Story, Colin Tomlinson sits down with Rachel Tomkins to explore her journey from the military to motherhood, and then back into the infrastructure industry through one of the UK’s first construction returnship programmes at Tideway.

Rachel shares how transferable skills, curiosity, leadership and resilience helped her rebuild a meaningful career after a 10-year career break — and why the industry is missing out if it overlooks people returning to work.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why returnship programmes can unlock hidden talent in infrastructure and engineering
• How Rachel transitioned from the Royal Engineers into major projects
• The reality of confidence, childcare and commuting after a long career break
• Why soft skills and leadership matter just as much as technical expertise
• The importance of mentoring and supportive workplace cultures
• What employers should look for beyond CVs and qualifications
• Why infrastructure projects offer a strong sense of purpose and fulfilment
• How diverse career experiences can strengthen project teams
• Lessons from Tideway’s pioneering returnship programme
• Why “taking the risk” on people often delivers the best long-term results

A powerful conversation about careers, confidence, leadership and creating opportunities for people who thought their professional chapter had closed.