The Construction Cogs Podcast

Renée Breen - Apprentice in Naval Architecture

A ship can look rock solid and still be one bad weight shift away from trouble. We’re joined by Rene, a level 4 apprentice naval architect, to make vessel stability feel real, human, and surprisingly relatable, from heel and GM values to the unglamorous truth of tracking every kilo during a refit. If you’ve ever wondered what naval architecture actually involves, or how ships get safely repurposed and sent back to sea, this conversation gives you a clear starting point. We also talk apprenticeships in the UK. Rene walks us through the competitive application stages, the aptitude-style tests you can’t really revise for, and the pressure of A-level results.  Her biggest insight is simple. Employers often look past imperfect grades when your attitude, curiosity, and determination are obvious. Along the way, we dig into apprenticeships versus university debt, how progression can work from HNC to degree routes, and why “hard work over talent” shows up in real hiring decisions. Then it gets personal. Rene moved from Liverpool to Plymouth for the role, leaving a close family network and building a new life from scratch. We discuss what it’s like being one of very few women in engineering, how odd comments can wear you down, and why reporting harassment is not “making a fuss”, it’s protecting people. She also shares the value of industrial placements, learning on the tools, and having a mentor who actually takes time to teach. If you enjoy honest career stories, engineering problem-solving, and practical lessons that cross over into construction and infrastructure, you’ll get loads from this. Subscribe for more, share this with someone weighing an apprenticeship, and leave us a review with your biggest takeaway. https://constructioncogs.com/ [https://constructioncogs.com/] https://www.youtube.com/@CCcranelife [https://www.youtube.com/@CCcranelife] https://www.youtube.com/@TheConstructionCogsPodcast https://www.instagram.com/cccranelife/ [https://www.instagram.com/cccranelife/?__pwa=1] https://www.tiktok.com/@cccranelife [https://www.tiktok.com/@cccranelife?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmywebb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmywebb/] https://www.reddit.com/user/ConstructionCogs/ [https://www.reddit.com/user/ConstructionCogs/]

Steve Leyton - Keltbray's Director of Lifting

Steve Leyton, Lifting Director at Keltbray, joins the Construction Cogs Podcast to talk about how lifting competence is built properly across major projects. We get into how Keltbray have centralised their lifting operations, how they assess and mentor slingers and supervisors, and why that approach is helping them retain people long term. Steve also shares his journey into lifting, his involvement in BS 7121 standards, and stories from some of the UK’s most complex heavy lift operations. https://constructioncogs.com/ [https://constructioncogs.com/] https://www.youtube.com/@CCcranelife [https://www.youtube.com/@CCcranelife] https://www.youtube.com/@TheConstructionCogsPodcast https://www.instagram.com/cccranelife/ [https://www.instagram.com/cccranelife/?__pwa=1] https://www.tiktok.com/@cccranelife [https://www.tiktok.com/@cccranelife?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmywebb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmywebb/] https://www.reddit.com/user/ConstructionCogs/ [https://www.reddit.com/user/ConstructionCogs/]

Rachel Housman - Ally Safety

In this episode, I’m joined by Rachel Housman from Ally Safety, my first ever guest on this podcast from across the pond. We originally connected after I entered a safety video into a competition Rachel ran, and it led to a proper chat about what she does, why most training does not land, and how to make safety communication actually stick. We get into: * What Ally Safety is, who it’s for, and what you get with a subscription * Training that works in the real world, including humour, attention, and dealing with people who think they’ve seen it all * Risk and decision making * Leadership, reporting culture, and the habits that accidentally make people hide problems * Preventative maintenance * Technology in training  Then we finish with some Nonsense Questions to round it off. Connect with Rachel and Ally Safety https://allysafety.com/ [https://allysafety.com/] https://www.facebook.com/allysafety/ [https://www.facebook.com/allysafety/] https://www.instagram.com/ally_safety/ [https://www.instagram.com/ally_safety/] https://www.pinterest.com/AllySafety/ [https://www.pinterest.com/AllySafety/] https://www.linkedin.com/company/allysafety/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/allysafety/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-housman-csp-cih-80957163/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-housman-csp-cih-80957163/] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRRHDgvsBeJGYrwyPBzVhbw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRRHDgvsBeJGYrwyPBzVhbw] https://constructioncogs.com/ [https://constructioncogs.com/] https://www.youtube.com/@CCcranelife [https://www.youtube.com/@CCcranelife] https://www.youtube.com/@TheConstructionCogsPodcast https://www.instagram.com/cccranelife/ [https://www.instagram.com/cccranelife/?__pwa=1] https://www.tiktok.com/@cccranelife [https://www.tiktok.com/@cccranelife?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmywebb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmywebb/] https://www.reddit.com/user/ConstructionCogs/ [https://www.reddit.com/user/ConstructionCogs/]

Richard Stone - Project Management Blueprint

In this episode of The Construction Cogs Podcast, I sit down with Richard Stone, founder of Project Management Blueprint, to talk about what really happens when construction becomes a race to the bottom, and why chasing the cheapest price often creates the most expensive problems. Richard breaks down the thinking behind Project Management Blueprint and the structured, step-by-step approach he teaches for running smoother, more compliant, more profitable projects, across refurbs, conversions, and bigger builds.  We get into: * Tendering and pricing pressure, and why cheap usually means something is missing * The real-world importance of solid pre-construction information * Compliance, health and safety, and the consequences when corners are cut * Mental health and the stress that comes with insecure, pressured work * The line that sums it up: Nothing is as expensive as cheap advice If you’ve ever felt the squeeze to price lower, move faster, or take shortcuts to “win” the job, this one will hit home. Follow or contact Richard here: * Website: https://richardmstone.com/ [https://richardmstone.com/] * Email: richard@richardmstone.com * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardmstone/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardmstone/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/project_management_blueprint/ [https://www.instagram.com/project_management_blueprint/] https://constructioncogs.com/ [https://constructioncogs.com/] https://www.youtube.com/@CCcranelife [https://www.youtube.com/@CCcranelife] https://www.youtube.com/@TheConstructionCogsPodcast https://www.instagram.com/cccranelife/ [https://www.instagram.com/cccranelife/?__pwa=1] https://www.tiktok.com/@cccranelife [https://www.tiktok.com/@cccranelife?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmywebb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmywebb/] https://www.reddit.com/user/ConstructionCogs/ [https://www.reddit.com/user/ConstructionCogs/]

Philippa Wright - Mobile Crane Operator

In this episode, we speak with Pip Wright (Philippa Wright), a UK mobile crane operator, about what the job really involves on site. Pip shares how she got into crane operating, the responsibility that comes with lifting operations, and why confidence, communication and mindset are essential in a role where safety is everything. We also discuss site culture, earning respect through competence, and being a woman in construction without. A conversation for anyone working in construction, considering a trade career, or curious about roles in the crane industry. Topics covered: • How Pip got into mobile crane operating • What a mobile crane operator actually does on site • Responsibility, safety and pressure in lifting operations • Communication between crane operators and slingers • Confidence, mindset and learning on the job • Being a woman in construction • Advice for getting into crane operating and construction Lifting Operations training: https://lifttecacademy.co.uk/constructioncogs Use code CCOGS100 for £100 off your course https://constructioncogs.com/ [https://constructioncogs.com/] https://www.youtube.com/@CCcranelife [https://www.youtube.com/@CCcranelife] https://www.youtube.com/@TheConstructionCogsPodcast https://www.instagram.com/cccranelife/ [https://www.instagram.com/cccranelife/?__pwa=1] https://www.tiktok.com/@cccranelife [https://www.tiktok.com/@cccranelife?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmywebb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmywebb/] https://www.reddit.com/user/ConstructionCogs/ [https://www.reddit.com/user/ConstructionCogs/]