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.

What really causes billion-pound projects to fail - poor execution or poor leadership?

In this episode of Site Story, Colin Tomlinson sits down with Tim McManus, a global authority on mega project delivery, to explore what truly drives success in the world’s most complex builds.

From nuclear power plants to leading the delivery of the New England Patriots stadium, Tim shares practical insights from decades at the sharp end of construction, and why so many projects are set up to fail before they even begin.

You’ll discover why the planning phase is often rushed (and the cost of that mistake), how treating a project like a business changes decision-making, and why collaboration, not competition, is the real key to delivering results.

Tim also breaks down the four leadership mindsets every project leader must adopt, alongside the growing importance of digital transformation and developing the next generation of leaders in an industry under pressure.

If you’re involved in major projects, or aspiring to step up, this episode offers a clear, honest perspective on what needs to change.

Ever worked on a project where the design keeps evolving, and wondered why there isn’t a clearer plan from the start?This episode brings a more honest perspective to that question.

Colin Tomlinson sits down with Claire Dioszegi to explore what design work actually looks like in practice, especially in complex projects where not everything is known upfront.

Because the reality is, design doesn’t always come fully formed. It develops over time. And the people managing it are often learning, adapting, and making decisions as things unfold.

It's important to remember that’s not a flaw in the system, it is the system.

They talked about:

• Why not all design work starts with a complete plan, and why that’s expected
• How people grow into design management roles through experience
• What “figuring it out as you go” actually looks like in real projects
• The balance between moving forward and refining design at the same time
• Why evolving designs aren’t a sign something’s wrong
• How better understanding this process improves collaboration for everyone

Whether you work alongside design teams or within one, this conversation offers a clearer lens on what’s really happening behind the scenes. It's a practical conversation that normalises the reality of design, and helps teams work with it, not against it.

Resources

About the Guest Claire Dioszegi is a design project management expert with experience across complex infrastructure projects, known for her practical approach to navigating evolving designs and real-world delivery challenges. Connect with her on LinkedIn: Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/claire-dioszegi-mba-ceng-fice-2069b425