Three years ago, Savanna Hand (22) swapped a career in community policing for construction after her dad who is a Site Manager suggested she would excel in the role, and since making the move, she hasn’t looked back.
From joining as a labourer and working on her first Annington site in Scampton, Lincoln, in 2023, Savanna has climbed the career ladder and recently oversaw the management of refurbishing 12 homes at Netheravon within the Wiltshire countryside. Now, Savanna is back at Scampton where Annington are releasing 36 homes to the rental market, but this time working as a Site Manager.
As well as helping transform former MoD housing into vibrant communities, Savanna still works within the surrounding community first hand, often donating her time and money to local causes.
We spoke with Savanna to find out how she got into her role, her approach to working with her father and what she gets up to when she’s not at a construction site.
Hi Savanna, please tell us a little bit about your career history and how you started working with Annington?
Before joining Annington in 2022, I was previously a Police Community Support Officer and had been searching for a career change. I was inspired by dad Alistair, who also works for Annington as a Site Manager, who encouraged me to apply my transferable skills to a construction site.
My dad has always been a massive role model for me, and he clearly showed me what this role could look like and how I could thrive in the environment which he has so much experience in. I started as a labourer and never looked back, progressing to my current role as Site Manager, with ambitions to one day be a Project Manager.
Moving from the police force to working on construction sites must have been quite the change, was there any specific training which you did to change careers?
I was determined to get the necessary qualifications, and in order to progress from Site Supervisor, I funded a five-day course so I could acquire the Site Manager accreditation.
Since then, I’ve passed my PRINCE2 qualification, whilst also studying Business Management at The Open University and balancing full-time work. I’m used to having lots of different priorities day-to-day, so I love the challenge of continuing to learn while also working.
Do you have any stand out career highlights and since becoming a Site Manager, is there a specific part of the role which you love?
I’m constantly liaising with different trades, from painters to electricians and plumbers, to ensuring everyone is complying with health and safety policies and the various paperwork is completed. I think it’s my favourite part of the job, getting to see how each part works and managing how it all comes together to bring these homes to local communities.
Managing the Netheravon site within the Wiltshire countryside was also a career highlight.
Delivering high-quality work is always my goal, and being able to take a project from the starting line right to the end was a real achievement for me. I’m now working in Scampton alongside my dad, which is going really well.
Both my dad and I are also committed to embedding ourselves within the community wherever we’re working, to make sure we’re building strong local relationships. It can be anything from donating to a village summer fete to helping the neighbours with small jobs, but it makes a huge positive impact.
Many people would struggle working with members of their family, but you both seem to have formed a great working relationship. How would you describe working with your family?
It’s incredibly rewarding. Sometimes we approach projects from different angles, I process obstacles quite logically, whereas he has over 10 years of experience and has encountered everything there is to on a construction site, so what I’ve been able to learn from him is phenomenal. He’s the smartest man I know.
When we see each other socially, it always ends up falling back into what we’re working on, but we’re passionate about what we do, and we don’t see it as just a job.
It sounds like you’re constantly busy, is there anything you like to do outside of work to unwind?
When I’m away from a building site, you will usually find me studying for my third year of university or keeping active by training for the next Hyrox competition or half marathon!
You’ve had a unique career path to get to your current role. Do you have any advice you would give to anyone considering a future in construction?
I would say get stuck in, metaphorically, and sometimes physically. I once crawled into a manhole as I was the smallest person on site that day to get the job done. I think you have to be a sponge and soak up the knowledge of others around you.
It’s worth going the extra mile and finding out why an electrician is using a certain technique or approaching things a particular way. Ask all the questions possible, because one day, someone will turn to you and ask you a question and you’ll be able to answer.