On 22nd October 2026, Nicola Tilbury, Director at Potter Raper, spoke at the Diversity and Inclusion In Construction (DIIC) 2026 Annual Conference at AMEX Stadium in Brighton. Alongside the panel, Potter Raper exhibited at the event on Stand D41 in the Education Zone, giving us the chance to meet attendees from across construction and the built environment.

About DIIC 2026

DIIC is the UK’s leading inclusion conference for construction and the built environment. This year’s event brought together over 700 attendees and 90 speakers, including contractors, housing providers, educators, support organisations, policymakers and future talent, to discuss how the sector can become more inclusive.

Nicola’s panel

Nicola joined Stage 5, Panel 2, for a session titled “Powering Growth: Women, SME’s and Pathways into Specialist Construction, Trades, Non-Traditional Careers”. The panel was chaired by Sweena K Badhan MIoD, Chair of the Institute of Directors (IoD), and also featured Victoria Collins of KingsRock Construction, Lee Chambers of Male Allies UK, Deborah Turner, Chartered Surveyor, and Yanmo Adetula of Chayil Consulting.

The discussion looked at what is driving growth for women and SMEs in specialist construction, the barriers still facing people entering trades and non-traditional careers, and how allyship across the industry can help open genuinely inclusive pathways.

“The key take away from me was the power of your network. This takes a time to build so start early, this is where your supporters, allies and sponsors will be” – Nicola Tilbury, Operations Director

Meeting visitors at the Potter Raper stand

Throughout the day, Nicola, Kerry Ray, Social Value Coordinator, and Euan Brophy, Trainee Employer’s Agent, were on the Potter Raper stand talking to visitors about life at Potter Raper, our apprenticeship and graduate schemes, and the routes into a career in construction consultancy. It was good to speak with so many people at different stages of their careers, from students and early careers talent to experienced professionals considering their next move.

Commitment to inclusion

At Potter Raper, we work to ensure our apprenticeship and graduate schemes are accessible to all. We believe a diverse team creates innovation, challenges the perceived “normal” and helps us grow as a business. Events such as DIIC are a valuable opportunity to hear from others across the sector and to keep learning about what more we can do.

Thank you

Thank you to the DIIC team for hosting such a well-run event, to Sweena and the panellists for a thoughtful discussion, and to everyone who visited our stand. If you missed us on the day and would like to find out more about careers at Potter Raper, please visit our website or get in touch with our team.

Find out more about Potter Raper: https://potterraper.co.uk/

Find out more about DIIC: https://diic.org.uk/