Building Resilience to Overcome the Unexpected: Shauna Davis’ Story

Each month in 2023, we’re focusing on one of the 10 essentials we all need for success in these fast-changing times. This month, we’re highlighting Resilience, which is about being aware of managing your emotions during stressful times, recognizing setbacks and taking constructive action to navigate challenges and obstacles. Taking steps to build your resilience can have significant benefits both inside and outside of work.

We talked with Shauna Davis, an assistant project manager in our quality and performance team, about how resilience helped her boldly move forward.

After joining the company in 2020 as a project engineer, Shauna’s initial responsibilities involved managing country-wide projects for our client, EDF Energy.

Unfortunately, Shauna’s role was furloughed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My initial response was one of upset and disappointment,” Shauna recalls. “I felt like I was just starting to get to grips with the projects I was working on and I had started to build strong working relationships with the project teams. The business supported me with finding an alternative role within Jacobs and I was shortly offered a role in the ES&T EMEA & APAC quality and performance team - I haven’t looked back since!”

Initially a six-month opportunity, the role soon developed into a permanent position as a management system project engineer and subsequently an assistant project manager.

“Everyone within my new team has been extremely supportive and thanks to their help and guidance, I have learned a vast amount in a short time. After only 19 months in the team, I won the 2022 Chartered Quality Institute Emerging Talent International Quality Award!”

Reflecting on her experience, Shauna has the following advice to others if they encounter a sudden or unpredicted change in their career circumstances: “I would encourage people to utilize their support network; just because you change jobs doesn’t mean you need to cut ties with the people you worked with who care about you. If you have the opportunity to try something new, and you think it's right for you, I’d encourage you to give it a try because you never know what doors it may open!”