Edge Hill University Alumna Emma Lavery Crowned Employee of the Year at Prestigious Liverpool Awards
Emma Lavery, a distinguished graduate of Edge Hill University, has been awarded the coveted Employee of the Year title at the esteemed Liverpool Awards. This recognition celebrates individuals who are making a significant and positive difference within the Liverpool City Region, highlighting excellence in business and innovation across various sectors.
Academic Background and Career Transition
Emma completed her studies in BSc (Hons) Childhood and Youth Studies and Sociology at Edge Hill University. Following her graduation, she successfully transitioned into the fields of business development and marketing, which she describes as opening the door to impactful career opportunities that provide her with a profound sense of purpose.
Reflecting on her career path, Emma stated: "Since graduating from Edge Hill, my career journey hasn't been linear, and I think that's what makes it powerful. Moving into construction wasn't something I had mapped out during university, but it has become a space where I've found real purpose."
Professional Role and Strategic Impact
Currently employed in the Business Development and Marketing team at Liverpool-based Krol Corlett Construction, Emma plays a crucial role in driving strategic growth and enhancing social value. Her responsibilities include supporting strategic expansion across multiple regions, collaborating closely with pre-construction teams, senior leadership, and clients.
A key aspect of her focus is on social value, ensuring that construction projects create meaningful and measurable impacts within the communities where they operate. Emma emphasized: "A key part of my focus is social value, ensuring that projects create meaningful, measurable impact within the communities we build in."
Relevance of Academic Studies
Emma quickly recognized how relevant her degree in Childhood and Youth Studies and Sociology has been to her professional work. She explained: "Very quickly, I recognised how relevant my degree in Childhood and Youth Studies and Sociology was. Understanding policy, inequality, social mobility and community dynamics has given me a different lens within a commercial environment. It allows me to approach development not just from a business growth perspective, but from a people and impact perspective too."
Key Project Involvement
Krol Corlett Construction was recently awarded the contract to deliver the construction of Liverpool Zoe's Place in West Derby. This appointment in February 2026 marks a significant milestone for the charity and the wider Liverpool community. Fundraising efforts have enabled Liverpool Zoe's Place to continue providing specialist care for babies and young children with medical needs, making the new purpose-built hospice a reality.
Completion of Liverpool Zoe's Place is scheduled for early 2027. The facility will provide a modern, welcoming, and highly supportive environment, securing the long-term future of essential children's palliative care services and ensuring families across the region continue to receive the specialist support they need. Emma expressed excitement about being part of the team working on this important project.
Championing Diversity in Construction
As a woman working in the construction industry, Emma believes there are diverse routes into the sector and notes that it has become more inclusive over time. Women in Construction Week took place at the beginning of March, celebrating the theme of 'Level Up. Build Strong,' and Emma is proud to work in an industry where she aims to champion inclusivity, particularly in a sector where female representation remains lower than male.
Emma commented: "As a woman working in a heavily male-dominated industry, I feel strongly about championing representation. Construction is far more diverse than people may assume, and there are so many pathways into the sector, not just traditional ones."
Reflections on University Experience
Emma fondly recalled her time at Edge Hill University, where she was able to grow in what she described as a welcoming environment. She said: "I loved that it wasn't one-dimensional; we explored sociological theory, but also the political processes behind how policies and values are created and implemented. Childhood and Youth Studies combined with Sociology felt like the perfect balance between understanding individual development and the wider social and political systems that impact it."
She added: "Edge Hill stood out to me because of the course structure and the campus environment. It felt welcoming, forward-thinking and somewhere I could grow both academically and personally. It has everything you could possibly need in one place: academic facilities, social spaces and green areas. It creates a real sense of community. Your degree does not define your destination; it shapes your perspective."
Award Significance
The Employee of the Year award specifically honors professionals who demonstrate exceptional commitment, leadership, and impact within their organizations and communities. Emma's recognition underscores her significant contributions to strategic growth and social value through her dedicated work in business development and marketing at Krol Corlett Construction.
