Big congratulations to the 2022 winner of the UK Operator of the Year competition Hannah Jarman from Breheny Civil Engineering who beat the field, after a tight play off and was crowned the champion plant operator of 2022.
After the trenches were dug, the heaps graded and the waggons loaded, the judges were delighted to announce that the winner, and first female recipient of the accolade was 27-year-old Hannah Jarman.
Hannah who comes from a family of Plant Operators, with her dad Mark and brother Lewis, all belonging to the same ‘dynasty of digger drivers’. A family whose combined service to the industry is currently at 53 years… Indeed, Hannah met her now fiancé Jamie, on a construction site where he too, yes you guessed is also a Plant Operator.
Hannah recalls going with dad Mark as young girl of 7 years old, sitting on his knee in the cab of an excavator ‘leaning the levers’. The draw of construction and the ‘family firm’, was too strong a calling, so Hannah left the world of midwifery, to join the family at top contractor Breheny Civil Engineering. Starting as an apprentice plant operator Hannah was enrolled on a 3-month course to gain her first accreditations.
So, with this ‘digger DNA’ Hannah was ready to compete against 38 other men and one woman, (Lana Edwards, who competed with great credit and distinction).
In winning the competition Hannah picked up a cheque worth a cool £10,000. The money is already earmarked for a nice holiday, but for now it’s back to the building site.
Speaking to event organisers UK Plant Operator Magazine, Hannah said “I was in shock when my name was announced, I had come along to prove it’s not just a man’s world in construction and in winning I have done just that”.
Gary Fowler Contracts Director Breheny Civil Engineering.
“Hannah began her working life as a receptionist at Breheny after completing an apprenticeship in construction.
I first met Hannah on my visits to head office as a smiley, helpful person with ambitions to be a Plant Operator and follow in her father and
grandfather’s footsteps”.
“It really is a family affair with dad Mark and brother Lewis all working for the business. We have a lot of affection for the family who are incredibly loyal to the company as we at Breheny are to the Jarmans”.
“ Really interestingly, in the run up to the UKPO of the year competition Hannah had a choice between a brand new 21-tonne excavator or to stay on a smaller machine with tiltrotator attachment. She chose to stay on the smaller machine which has seen her skills improve ahead of the competition”
“The Jarman family are so passionate about Civil Engineering. At Breheny we are incredibly proud of all our workforce but Hannah’s career progression and recent success is something that our business takes great pride in. We were delighted for her when she won the UK Plant Operator of the Year competition for 2022, it’s a fantastic story. We trust it will inspire a new wave of interest from women who want to work as plant operators in construction”.
