an A to Z of the careers in construction by NAWIC UK and Ireland

ASK THE... DISCOVER the secrets and opportunities that lay inside the construction industry through the stories of the people doing the jobs. A project by

www.nawic.co.uk

Tate Modern, London, UK by Architects Herzog and de Meuron

Welcome A lot has been said about the lack of interest that the younger generations appear to have in the industry and about how certain jobs are suﬀering due to an insuﬃcient number of peo-

to date how valuable their experience can be to those young people but who would be more than happy to share their often not so linear journey in order to be of help them decide

ple choosing them as a career.

which way they’d like their career to develop.

At NAWIC we have learnt, through the feedback that we have received from students, that there is an important factor to consider: the lack of access that most young people have to adults doing the jobs that may interest them in order to be able to ask them about possible routes to achieve their dream job and the realities of the day to day for someone doing the job.

The goal of our project is to set a framework in which we can bring everyone together to allow this conversation to happen. We would like to have as many people as we possibly could signing up and using this project. If you are interested in becoming part of it, email us at pr@nawic.co.uk with your answers.

As young adults we tend to see life in a linear way, and as such, obstacles can impair our journey but as adults, we begin to understand that there are many more dimensions that can allow us to reach a goal, and in fact evolution never ends. At the other end of the spectrum, the industry is full of inspiring “doers” who have not realised

“Ask The....”

Contributors We would like to thank the many contributors to this publication for their generosity and openness.

We hope that if nothing else, the opportunity to contribute to the shaping of your cities and communities together with other like minded people may draw your attention into this indus-

We would not have been able to produce this

try which is so special to us.

booklet and give you, the reader, a real sense of the professions available to you within the construction industry without each and everyone of those volunteers. We want to make you are aware of this as teamwork and camaraderie are values which are very characteristic of this industry you are considering to join. The construction industry requires a collaborative approach as the complexity of projects continues to increase and now, more than ever, one must realise that our work would mount to very little without the support and eďŹ&#x20AC;ort of everyone working in the team.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ask The....â&#x20AC;?

Contributors

A Architect Access consultant Architect: Healthcare

Acoustic engineer Air condition engineer Air quality Consultant

Melanie (Robson) Relf, Clinical Team Lead, NBBJ Design

Architect: Conservation Architect: Education

Suzanne Hodgson, Senior Air Quality Consultant at Air Quality Consultants Ltd.

Architect: Residential

Arboriculturalist

Cristina Lanz Azcarate, Chartered Senior Architect and Practice Development, CZWG Architects Llp.

Archaeological Consultant Architectural Technician Suzanne Gailey, Associate Director at an independent Consultancy specialised in Planning

Architectural Technologist

and Heritage

Architectural illustrator Architectural Assistant Art Consultant

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ask The....â&#x20AC;?

iii

Building services engineer Asbestos specialist

Building surveyor Business developer

Bids manager Buyer Paul Thomas, Bids Manager at Robertson Facilities Management

BIM coordinator Fabio Roberti, BIM Consultant and Revit Specialist at FirstScale Ltd

BIM manager Breeam assessor Building control oﬃcer Building manager

CAD manager Carpenter CDM coordinator Civil engineer Code for sustainable homes assessor Commissioning consultant

Building Services consultant

“Ask The....”

Commissioning engineer

Development consultant Fiona Cane, Senior Development Consultant at Pod Partnership

Community engagement oﬃcer Conservation Oﬃcer Construction manager Contracts manager Copyrighter

Diamond driller Document controller Design Advisor

E Ecologist Electrician

Demolition technician Design manager Developer Development manager

Electrical engineer Energy consultant Energy manager Environmental Auditor/Assessor

“Ask The....”

Environmental resources manager

Framework manager

Nicki Casley, Business Partner and Environmental

Forensic Planner/ Delay Analyst

Expert at Green Chair Recycling Maria Fisentzou, Associate Director, Driver Trett

Environmental planner Estate regeneration oﬃcer

Environmental Health Practitioner

Geotechnical Engineer

Graphic designer

Facade engineer

Facade manager

Health and Safety Manager

Ange Francis, Facade Manager, John Sisk & Son Ltd

Highway management consultant

Fire engineer

Historical architect

Fire Safety Engineer

FLT driver

Hydraulic engineer

“Ask The....”

Landscape architect Geoﬀ Southern, Landscape Architect / Founding

Interior designer

Partner , Envert Studio

Invested Property Appraiser

Landscaping contractor

Ironmongers

Lawyer

Lecturer LEED Assessor

Joiner Journalist

Lift Consultant Lighting design consultant

Lighting consultant

Kitchen designer

Kitchen fitter

Marketing and communications Yvette Higson, Head of Marketing & Communications, Aedas

“Ask The....”

vii

Marketing Manager

Painter and decorator

Mechanical engineer

Party wall award surveyor

Mediator

Passivhaus consultant

Photographer Planning consultant

Planning oﬃcer

Oﬀshore Wind Turbine Foundations

Plasterer

Engineer

Plumber

Fanny Arendt, Chartered Senior Engineer, Ramboll UK

O&M manual coordinator

Product developer

Operations director

Property developer

Operations and Maintenance

Project manager

Project Director

“Ask The....”

viii

Public Health Engineer

Renewable Energy Consultant

Rail Engineer

Quality manager

Quantity surveyor

Supply chain manager

Gareth Rowlands, Senior Quantity Surveyor, Rider

Structural engineer

Levett Bucknall

Sustainability engineer Site manager

Rights of light consultant

Solicitor

Residential Sales Manager

Dispute Resolution Lawyer

Regeneration and strategy consultant

Theresa Mohammed, Senior Associate, Trowers & Hamlins

Regeneration manager SAP Specialist Recruitment consultant Space Planner Researcher

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ask The....â&#x20AC;?

U Sprinkler Engineer Urban planner Amanda Ball, Project Engineer, AD Sprinkler Protection Ltd

Utilities and Infrastructure Engineer

Transport planner

Phil Longman, Associate Transport Planner at Peter Brett Associates Llp, Multidisciplinary Company

Town planner

Welder Wind Specialist Engineer

Theatre Consultant Thermal Modeling Specialist Temporary works engineer Topographic surveyors

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ask The....â&#x20AC;?

A Air Quality Consultant “My job is to act as a consultant to developers and local authorities, for range of air quality projects “ (Suzanne Hodgson)

“Ask The....”

Forth Road Bridge, Fife, Scotland UK by Freeman Fox & Partners and Mott Hay & Anderson

What do you like most about your job? What are the challenges? “Variety, interesting, challenging, valuable.” (Suzanne Hodgson)

to date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “Yes, working for a small technical consultancy, the Company (and its consultants) is required

your job? Did you find any gaps in your

to keep up-to-date with changes in the way air quality assessments are undertaken, as tools, guidance and policies change with time.” (Suzanne Hodgson)

studies/training when you started working?

Does your job promote awareness on

How did you train to be able to do

“I studied a BSc In Geography and an MSc in Meteorology” (Suzanne Hodgson)

Does your job require continuous

environmental issues? “ Yes, the nature of the work brings an awareness of environmental issues relating to air quality.” (Suzanne Hodgson)

development? How do you grow/ develop in your job? “Yes, it is encouraged and required for professional membership to the Institute for Air Quality Management (IAQM).” (Suzanne Hodgson)

Does your job rely on changing technologies?Are you expected to be up

Does it involve community engagement in any form? Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities? “ At the company I work, there are opportunities to get involved with other air quality bodies, e.g. I am on the committee for the IAQM and attend meetings for the South

“Ask The....”

West arm of Environmental Protection UK.” (Suzanne Hodgson)

Good report writing. “(Suzanne Hodgson)

What has been the best decision you How does a normal day look like for

have made with regard to your ca-

you? Where are you based?

reer? Any lesson or tip you’d like to share

“ My job is oﬃce based with some site visits. My oﬃce is based in Bristol” (Suzanne Hodgson)

How many people do you work with?

with the younger you? “Don’t expect to run before you can walk! Allow yourself time to gain experience in a convoluted technical field. “ (Suzanne Hodgson)

Does your job involve team work? “Air Quality Consultants Ltd. employs 14 consultants.

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available? Any useful links you would like to

As a senior consultant, I typically work on projects alone, reporting to a Job Manager (Principal Consultant). I also oversee the work of more junior staﬀ.” (Suzanne Hodgson)

What character traits are useful in your job? “Good communication. Technical capabilities.

share? “To begin with being an air quality consultant involves learning the technical aspects of producing air quality assessments; over time this develops into being able to apply experience gained on more complicated projects and acting as a consultant to those that need expert advice. “ (Suzanne Hodgson) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Aﬀairs (DEFRA) - Link here

“Ask The....”

A Archaeological Consultant “An Archaeological Consultant working on behalf of developers assesses archaeological risk of sites and addresses archaeological issues to ensure that clients' interests are dealt with eﬀectively and a balance between the often conflicting demands of profitable development and conservation is achieved. “ (Suzanne Gailey)

“Ask The....”

Kolumba Museum, Cologne, Germany by Architect Peter Zumthor

What do you like most about your job? What are the challenges? “Varied work, challenging in terms of dealing with conflicting requirements and reaching successful solutions and working to tight deadlines. “ (Suzanne Gailey)

date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “Yes as this could eﬀect how we approach projects.” (Suzanne Gailey)

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues?

How did you train to be able to do your job? Did you find any gaps in your

“ No it does not really promote awareness. ” (Suzanne Gailey)

studies/training when you started working?

Does it involve community engage-

“University degree and work experience” (Suzanne Gailey)

Does your job require continuous development? How do you grow/develop in your job? “Yes as policies and approaches change” (Suzanne Gailey)

Does your job rely on changing tech-

ment in any form? Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities? “At excavation stage we normally include an element of community engagement but we do not have time oﬀ to volunteer on projects .” (Suzanne Gailey)

How does a normal day look like for you? Where are you based?

nologies? Are you expected to be up to

“Ask The....”

“ Either in the oﬃce, at project meetings or on site for site meetings.” (Suzanne Gailey)

reer? Any lesson or tip you’d like to share

How many people do you work with?

“Prepared to start at the bottom and work up,

Does your job involve team work?

all work experience is good experience.” (Suzanne Gailey)

“Team of about 10 archaeological consultants in-house but we work individually on our own projects. We also work with a wider teams of specialists within a project team and also appoint archaeological contractors to undertake the archaeological fieldwork on our behalf.” (Suzanne Gailey)

with the younger you?

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available? Any useful links you would like to share? “Institute for Archaeologists” (Suzanne Gailey) link here

What character traits are useful in your job? “Thick skinned, strong-willed, well motivated, good team worker, good communication skills, organised.” (Suzanne Gailey)

What has been the best decision you have made with regard to your ca-

“Ask The....”

A Architect: Healthcare “I design hospitals, mostly large-scale facilities, which includes interviewing clinical staﬀ, nurses and doctors to find out (or help them figure out!) how they would like their new facility to work. I then interpret this in drawn form. “ (Melanie (Robson) Relf )

“Ask The....”

Maggie’s Cancer Centre in Nottingham, UK by CZWG Architects and Designer Paul Smith

What do you like most about your job? What are the challenges? “I love the complexities of the job, and meeting people whose working lives are directly aﬀected by what I do. It is not automatic in architecture that you meet with the people who will occupy your building.

longer an option), but going to university was definitely the best way to go for me, although I am not particularly academic. Both my time at university and my time out working were invaluable. I found the Part 3 practice management and contract law unexpectedly interesting.”

Healthcare is possibly the most complex sector of architecture, governed by additional rules

(Melanie (Robson) Relf )

and guidelines, and I enjoy the challenge of balancing the rules against the client requirements, and finding a solution that works.

Does your job require continuous de-

Sometimes I wish I had a degree in medicine as well as architecture!” (Melanie (Robson) Relf )

How did you train to be able to do your job? Did you find any gaps in your

velopment? How do you grow/develop in your job? “Professionally I am required to train continuously. I have found that each new job/role provides me with new challenges and sets me oﬀ in a slightly new direction.” (Melanie (Robson) Relf )

studies/training when you started working?

Does your job rely on changing tech-

“I could have achieved my qualifications while working and was keen to get started (this is no

date or is this something that companies oﬀer?

nologies?Are you expected to be up to

“Ask The....”

“My job relies on new technologies within the design environment, such as 3D software, and new technologies developed within the medical environment which may impact the environment I am designing. The more technology progresses, the smaller medical kit (e.g. MRI scanners) becomes, which means building loads are reduced, and columns can become smaller. I am expected to keep abreast of the latest guidelines published by the NHS, as well as building legislation.” (Melanie (Robson) Relf )

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? Does it involve community engagement in any form? Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities? “I have been involved at a community level with Patient Access Groups, groups of patients who use the building and have an interest in the end result.” (Melanie (Robson) Relf )

How does a normal day look like for you? Where are you based? “I am based in the oﬃce primarily, but visit the existing hospital on a monthly basis to interview the users, and as the design develops, I will visit site to check on the progress of the building work and to ensure that the building is built as it should be. My skills have taken me to the Middle East to work, and I occasionally adventure out to new buildings to see how other people are solving similar challenges.” (Melanie (Robson) Relf )

How many people do you work with? Does your job involve team work? “My job is entirely about teamwork. While I am quite specialist, my job depends on a host of other people such as project co-ordinators and managers, cost consultants, façade engineers, art consultants, MEP teams, planning and building control oﬃcers, not to mention contractors and clients, developers and building end users.

“Ask The....”

I prefer to direct a team while working within it, rather than operating from an overview. It is only when you fully understand the intricacies of the challenge that you can plan robustly. “

It doesn’t generate the most income, but I can’t imagine doing anything else.” (Melanie (Robson) Relf )

Where could someone learn about sal(Melanie (Robson) Relf )

ary expectations and Training avail-

What character traits are useful in

able?

your job? “It takes a particular type of mind to relish healthcare architecture – you need to be pedantic about details, have patience for your client, sympathy with your team, maintain an eye for the alternative solution, and be good at jigsaws! “ (Melanie (Robson) Relf )

RIBA Appointments, salary guide - Link here (Melanie (Robson) Relf )

Any useful links you would like to share? Architects for Health - Link here (Melanie (Robson) Relf )

What has been the best decision you have made with regard to your career? Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “To pursue it!

“Ask The....”

A Architect: Residential “A residential architect works closely with a client to design and build homes and places for communities to thrive in. Often within the constraints of the existing urban environments but sometimes in areas where there were none. Our preparatory work extends beyond design and it looks at how people live and use spaces in order to understand our framework.” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

“Ask The....”

Barbican Centre, London, UK by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon

What do you like most about your job? “I love the sense of achievement I feel when people move in to the buildings and happily settle in to start a new chapter in their lives. I also love to see communities come together through the process of planning wanting to see their neighborhoods thrive. I like to work in a diverse team where everyone brings a new point of view to the table and where each person shares with the team their particular expertise for the benefit of both the team and the project.

“There are many challenges; but i rather look at them as opportunities. The planning frameworks is complicated and often contradictory, specially in large scale regeneration projects as politics mix with the everyday . Working and leading a very large team of consultants and architects by shifting the focus from the individual forces to the common goal is also a challenge at times; however, it helps to remember that we don’t (individually) have all the answers and who you are doing your job for.” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

How did you train to be able to do

I joined the profession to change the world by creating places that allowed people to have a good life and there is , indeed, something very empowering in helping clients and communities achieve their own vision . “ (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

your job?

What are the challenges?

I commenced my training in architecture in San Sebastian, Spain, where I am from; but i decided to complete my training in the UK

“I am a real nerd. I love learning about everything. The way i see it, the better I am the more useful i become to the clients I work with and the team.

“Ask The....”

because the technical and fragmented nature of my studies made me nervous. I felt that unless I looked at buildings as a whole, I would never be the architect I wanted to be. I chose the UK because I spoke English and London was a place I felt a connection with. I knew nobody here but this did not stopped me. (There are many Europe wide opportunities for British students too) Due to a misunderstanding I ended up studying longer than I would have needed to (this I learned years later). However, because of that, I had to find a job and pay my way at a small company where we designed and built our own projects. By the time I completed my second degree (Architecture in the UK is structured in 3 parts) I had a considerable experience in managing the design process on site whilst many of my peers had not. It took me a while to register in the UK because you have to take another course and I had become busy delivering large projects.

Eventually , as a project came to an end, I saw a window of opportunity and took the exam .” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

Did you find any gaps in your studies/ training when you started working? “ In Spain only architects can design buildings, If you are not an architect, you cannot. In contrast, in the UK, you do not ned to be an architect to design or build. As a result, the architect has the role of a designer/coordinator and there are many engineers who deal with areas that, in Spain, we were trained to deal with. Education , in the UK, reflects this. Therefore, if you are thinking about studying in the UK, you will need to carefully consider what type of architects you want to be and find out which school would prepare you as what you learn will be vastly diﬀerent. As a senior architect who has been involved in recruitment at the oﬃces where I’ve worked, I’d say that finding a company where you can get a good practical experience between your

“Ask The....”

degrees is key to complete your training.” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

for me but the tools to let me be who I want to be” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

Does your job require continuous

Does your job rely on changing tech-

development? How do you grow/

nologies?Are you expected to be up to

develop in your job?

date or is this something that companies oﬀer?

“ Learning never, ever, stops. Not in architecture, nor in any other job. The world is changing at a rapid pace and we need to keep our eyes open to stay competitive and to be competent. CPD (Continuous Professional Development) is required by the professional bodies in order to ensure that we keep on the top of changes in technologies, legislation and industry wide advances. You are expected to better yourself to stay sharp and oﬀer the best service to your client. Personally, architecture is something i feel passionate about and it is part of my everyday life. I therefore read a lot of magazines, travel to purposefully visit buildings and regularly attend lectures and exhibitions. These are not chores

“It does. The current trend in the industry is to use technology to improve eﬃciency and part of that plan is using online based platforms to work remotely with the rest of the design team. (you can read more about it on the BIM Coordinator chapter). In order to do this, I have had to learn how to use diﬀerent softwares that have capacity to do this and the company has paid for it.” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? “Sustainability is more and more embedded into design as legislation requires for minimum standards to be achieved. Then, each client/ studio partnership may push the minimum requirements higher.

“Ask The....”

As the high demand on housing is stretching the boundaries between where you would and where you would not have built in the past, I am interested in developing strategies where

I have done a lot of volunteering (mentoring at FLUID, collaborating and charing NAWIC London and South East) in my own time and since the summer, I have incorporated part of

by rationalised systems can collectively deal with a variety of issues.” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

what i do to my day to day job as part of the company’s CSR. In addition to this, my company has developed a structured mentoring program in support of the least experienced members of staﬀ where I also mentor.” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

Does it involve community engagement in any form? Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities?

How does a normal day look like for “ The large regeneration projects require for me to work with the local communities. The involvement depends on where the project fits in.

you? Where are you based?

I recently worked in a project where the developed had a development agreement with the local authority that required for us to deliver a new market, a Local Service Centre and elderly accommodation for existing council tenants. I regularly met stake holder from all three groups and worked together to make sure there was a place within the scheme for them.

When you are in the design stage, there is a lot of time at the office, on the computer ,drawing and testing; but also a lot of time discussing the brief and strategies with both client and wider team. There is also a considerable amount of time negotiating with local planning officers at their offices and consulting local residents on the immediate areas.

“The day to day changes depending on the stage of the project.

When you are in the construction phase, the pace is faster. First you need to work with the team to detail the various strategies and develop the construction details. Then, very

New technologies and eﬃcient methodologies however ,are resulting in a dramatic reduction of the architectural team. In a project where a few years ago I would have worked with 3/4

often, you need to assist the client choosing the right contractor to build the project. Finally, you need to lead the building of it. This means coordinating the team, answering questions, attending emergency calls on site and addressing emerging issues to do with coordination. It is never boring.” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

people to deliver a planning application, I am working on my own with support from an other person at specific stages“ (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

How many people do you work with?

What character traits are useful in your job? “You have to care about the work you do and be a team player , flexible and honest.

Does your job involve team work? “The team changes depending on the project. Each type of building requires diﬀerent set of experts and a diﬀerent number of people. The construction industry relies on teams and so does architecture. You can do very little without a team as it is highly unlikely that you will design and build a project with your own two hands and no team.

You will need to be comfortable asking diﬃcult questions when your client’s best interest requires it and you will need to constantly remember that this is not your project but the result of a partnership with your client. (This can be hard when you have put your heart into something and it disappears in front of your eyes. Briefing is key)“ (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

What has been the best decision you have made with regard to your career? “The best decision was to come to London and stand in my own two feet. However, coming to terms with the limited role of the architect (by comparison with Spain) was a shock at first. I have since found ways to successfully work within the UK framework and have no regrets.” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “At school you are given the impression that you will be able to design what you think is right for a client on a site but this is not a reflection of reality hence the important of a good brief.

and will give you a sense of purpose as enabler.” (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available? RIBA Appointments, salary guide - Link here Bespoque Careers - Link here Architects Registration Board - Link here The Association of Consultant Architects- Link here Royal Institute of British Architects- Link here (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

Any useful links you would like to share? Mimoa - Link here

Before you do anything. spend time listening to your client/boss and understanding how you can help them realize their “dream/vision”. This alternative approach will save you heartache

El croquis - Link here Architizer- Link here (Cristina Lanz-Azcarate)

B Bids Manager “My job is to win work / contracts for the company” (Paul Thomas)

“Ask The....”

One Pancras Square, London, UK by David Chipperfield Architects

What do you like most about your job? “ Facilities management combines my interest in people and buildings . There is a wide range of projects to work on and on the rare occasion I am not enjoying a project I know I will be on a diﬀerent one in 6 months time (at the most)” (Paul Thomas)

What do you wish you’d had known when you started your career?

“When I was at school only girls were allow to do typing - I would learn to type much faster.” (Paul Thomas)

What are the challenges? “Tight deadlines, very competitive market with pressure to win bids” (Paul Thomas)

How did you train to be able to do

“British Institute of Facilities Management course followed by a MSc at Leeds Met then 14 years in a Facilitites Management operational role and 7 years as a consultant.” (Paul Thomas)

Did you find any gaps in your studies/ training when you started working? “Needed a better understanding of procurement law.” (Paul Thomas)

Does your job require continuous development? “ Yes need to stay current for example the use of Building Information Modeling is changing the skills and knowledge required.” (Paul Thomas)

How do you grow/develop in your job? “The selection of what areas I need to develop are self driven and in part guided by my work objectives.

your job?

“Ask The....”

As you do not know what you do not know I use the British Institute of Facilities Management to help with CPD” (Paul Thomas)

“Community engagement is seen by clients as a free added extra in the contract and is becoming more important.” (Paul Thomas)

Does your job rely on changing tech-

How does a normal day look like for

nologies? Are you expected to be up to

you?

date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “We are not seeming a lot less paper tenders and more digital only tender replies.” (Paul Thomas)

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? “I get more questions about how sustainable our operations are and we have to keep raising our environmental standards” (Paul Thomas)

“Check for new tenders that have come in overnight, then a mix of draft tender relies, attend site visits, check on progress of tender, networking and keeping in touch with the market.” (Paul Thomas)

Where are you based? “Based in an oﬃce in Newcastle but can work at home when just drafting a response, also work in Scotland on some projects.” (Paul Thomas)

How many people do you work with? Does it involve community engagement in any form? Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities?

“Part of a development team of 9” (Paul Thomas)

Does your job involve team work?

“Ask The....”

“Work as part of a team to draw in as much knowledge and experience as possible” (Paul Thomas)

“Those not able to be be flexible in their working patterns as you may have to work late to finish a tender (you get the time back later)

How do you work and interact with your team/s typically?

People who can not ignore the world around

“Work with team via a mix of Face to Face but mostly telephone and email and sharepoint (a team collaboration software tool) to work on the same files.” (Paul Thomas)

What has been the best decision you

What character traits are useful in your job? “Able to meet deadlines and answer the question being asked ,not the question you want to answer. Need to have a broad subject knowledge.” (Paul Thomas)

Is there a type of person that you’d not advise to join your profession?

them and focus on delivering.” (Paul Thomas)

have made with regard to your career? “Gaining my MSc in Facilities Management.” (Paul Thomas)

Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “Smile more - its catching Plus learn to sell, every business needs sales people.” (Paul Thomas)

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available?

“There is an annual salary survey by iFM to provide a guide, Job adverts are also a useful guide but some jobs are never advertised

Training is advertised in FM worldâ&#x20AC;? (Paul Thomas)

Any useful links you would like to share? British Institute of Facilities Management - link here RIBA Appointments - link here Revit training - link here (Fabio Roberti)

B BIM Coordinator “I manage architectural data and transform it into drawings” (Fabio Roberti)

“Ask The....”

Kings Place in London, UK by Dixon and Jones Limited

What do you like most about your

Does your job require continuous de-

job?

velopment?

What do you wish you’d had known when you started your career?

“Yes. Every year we receive software updates

“The salary is not so great in the architectural field.”(Fabio Roberti)

How do you grow/develop in your job?

What are the challenges? “The challenge of designing a building and coordinating the drawing production.” (Fabio Roberti)

How did you train to be able to do your job? “Delivering good quality architecture with a small budget.” (Fabio Roberti)

Did you find any gaps in your studies/ training when you started working? “Yes, but I think that part of the professional development is meant to be done by yourself.” (Fabio Roberti)

with new features. “ (Fabio Roberti)

“The key point at the beginning of your career is changing jobs when you stop learning new things. Don’t stay in a single job more than 3 years or if you stop to learn. “ (Fabio Roberti)

Does your job rely on changing technologies? “Yes. Since the introduction of BIM, we have been creating the foundations for this new process. “ (Fabio Roberti)

Are you expected to be up to date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “They oﬀer it but most of the time, you need to do it by yourself.” (Fabio Roberti)

“Ask The....”

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? “Yes, through the use of many new technologies. “(Fabio Roberti)

Does it involve community engagement in any form? Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities?

“I currently work with 15 people “ (Fabio Roberti)

Does your job involve team work? “ Our work involves teamwork as everyone needs to work in the same direction. We communicate through quick meetings and emails.” (Fabio Roberti)

What character traits are useful in “It doesn’t. “(Fabio Roberti)

How does a normal day look like for you? Where are you based? “I’m based in London, at an oﬃce.

your job? “Creativity to solve the problems we come across when looking at the architecture and enjoyment in production of drawings and beautiful images.” (Fabio Roberti)

I start the day at 9:00 and although 17:30 is technically time to go home, very often we have deadlines, that make us stay in the oﬃce until late. “ (Fabio Roberti))

What has been the best decision you

How many people do you work with?

“Learning how to use Revit. It is the present and the future to produce drawings in Architecture. “ (Fabio Roberti)

have made with regard to your career?

“Ask The....”

Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “Something I wish I’d known is how employment agencies work. In general, I have found that although many are fare and pay good hourly rates, some are more interested in finding someone for a vacancy than finding the right job for you. I would advise that you look in either BD4jobs or RIBA Appointments instead of going to agencies. I would also advise that if you decide to go through an agency, you prepare for the interview. Do look at salary guides beforehand to know what your expectations should be, and be sure to understand what you want in order to be able to explain it. “ (Fabio Roberti)

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training avail-

2014 Salary guide kindly provided by Fabio Roberti

Job Role

LOW (k’s)

AVERAGE (k’s)

HIGH (k’s)

BIM Modeller

BIM Coordinato r

BIM Manager

BIM Director

80+

BIM Consultant / Trainer

BIM Coordinato r / Architect

“ For training YouTube is full of useful resources for those wanting to start. Our company First Scale provides training. You can visit our website to find out more about this and understand how much the training would cost. “ (Fabio Roberti)

able?

Any useful links you would like to share? BD 4 Jobs Website - link here RIBA Appointments - link here Revit training - link here (Fabio Roberti)

D Development Consultant “My role is to provide support for clients in public and private sector (housing associations, local authorities, developers) to help them develop more housing, with a focus on aﬀordable housing. This can involve carrying out specific projects and research, or acting as an in-house interim project manager (fulfilling the role of “client” in building projects). “ (Fiona Cane)

“Ask The....”

City of London , UK

What do you like most about your

How did you train to be able to do

job?

your job?

“I enjoy the variety in my job, both in terms of

“I studied architecture, and I found the

the work I do and the people I interact with daily. I really enjoy running tenders (competitions to select the right company to carry out work, whether consultancy or building), as this is the opportunity to get a project “right” from the start.” (Fiona Cane)

expectations that my education gave me in terms of how architects could influence the built environment were much higher than the reality. After working a year in architecture I realised that I wanted to work client-side, with a particular interest in housing associations, as there had been quite a housing focus in my

What do you wish you’d had known when you started your career?

degree.

“It may have been useful to know more about Development/client role/housing associations when choosing my career, but I don’t regret my career path.” (Fiona Cane)

What are the challenges? “Balancing my workload is the main challenge (i.e. trying to make sure that all of my projects are not busy at the same time).” (Fiona Cane)

From architecture I went to work in the development department of a large housing association and received most of my training in development on the job, supplemented by National Housing Federation 2-day courses. From direct housing association working, I then moved on to development consultancy.” (Fiona Cane)

Did you find any gaps in your studies/ training when you started working?

“Ask The....”

“Almost all people in development consultancy have a background in housing development, but the training/background before that is hugely varied: a small sample of people I have known working in the sector includes surveyors, architects, accountants, engineers, economists, housing oﬃcers.

Does your job rely on changing technologies? Are you expected to be up to date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “My job doesn’t really rely on changing

technologies beyond the MS oﬃce package. Much of the training on the parts of the job that people are not familiar with takes place on the job.” (Fiona Cane)

Does your job require continuous development? How do you grow/develop in your job? “My job requires me to keep abreast of current government (national and local) policy and other statutory/legislative changes that aﬀect housebuilding, but there are no formal requirements. I attend update sessions on subjects that are relevant (usually 2 hr sessions, every 3-6 months). To grow/develop in my job I take on new projects and new challenges!” (Fiona Cane)

Companies generally will pay for training in certain aspects of oﬃce if necessary: I have had training on advanced Excel and MS Project, a tool used to create project programmes.” (Fiona Cane)

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? “My job promotes awareness on environmental issues, both through my company’s ISO, which influences how my company operates, but also through building best practice, and many clients that we work for are keen for their new buildings to be environmentally friendly. “ (Fiona Cane)

“Ask The....”

Does it involve community engagement in any form? “Some parts of my job involve community engagement, whether it is neighbors to proposed new buildings, or people living on an estate that is about to be demolished and rebuilt, and working through with them how the best way that could happen from their point of view.” (Fiona Cane)

How does a normal day look like for you? Where are you based? “ I work for a private company, but my company has a strong focus on public sector housing. There are strong links between public/ private sectors in housing though, hence we can also support private developers. I am based in offices across south east England. My company’s office is in London, and at the moment I am there around 2-3 days per week, but I will leave this for meetings with some clients on projects. I am at another client’s office around 2 days per week, usually in solid meetings.

I usually do any urgent emails at 7.30, will travel to work and work on my laptop (if I get a seat) and usually in work for around 9. I will work till around 5, but sometimes late meetings keep me longer. If there is anything really pressing that I haven’t been able to do during the day I will deal with it in the evenings. The hours are long but I do get a degree of flexibility to work from home if necessary or move things around to suit home appointments. “ (Fiona Cane)

How many people do you work with? Does your job involve team work? “I work for a very small company, of which three colleagues I work with directly and we interact daily by email/phone, and occasionally I see them in the oﬃce! Sometimes we work as a team to put together reports/research, and we will work very intensively together.

With the clients that I am working with at the moment, I know their teams quite well and the relevant people across their organisations; I will see my contacts frequently, catch up with the

sitting in sometimes makeshift desk set-ups. “ (Fiona Cane)

wider team at monthly meetings, and in-between there is a lot of emails/telephone calls.

have made with regard to your ca-

Building projects will then involve a wider team of third parties that I may be co-ordinating; diﬀerent consultant disciplines and contractors.” (Fiona Cane)

What has been the best decision you reer? Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “My best decision was to change my career path early on when I realised that architecture wasn’t working out for me. Just because I studied it, it didn’t mean I had to practice it.

What character traits are useful in your job? “To work in the client role in the building industry, the most useful character trait is to be able to make an informed decision quickly. You also have to be able to confidently ask people to explain why they are doing things/ think something is the best approach. To be a development consultant, you need to be very flexible in the way you work, not mind traveling sometimes long hours, and not mind

However architecture is a fantastic subject to study and teaches your mind how to be more creative and open, I still find it useful every day. “ (Fiona Cane)

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available? “My industry does hide itself very well. To find out more about Housing Association/Local Government jobs in development, these sites are best:

Search on “development” at Inside Housing link here Or at the Guardian’s Development section - link here (Fiona Cane)

Any useful links you would like to share? “ This article from inside housing is an introduction to housing associations - link here “ (Fiona Cane)

E Environmental Resources Manager “I am joint owner in a Vancouver-based sustainable waste and recycling management company. Our company aims to reduce the amount of waste and recycling that goes to landfill.” (Nicki Casley)

“Ask The....”

Plum tree in former brown field, Milton Keynes, UK

What do you like most about your job? “Being able to make a real tangible diﬀerence and to inspire others to make positive changes. “ (Nicki Casley)

What are the challenges? “Working in the environmental field can often be a challenge (especially when budgets are tight); clients often see environmental considerations as 'nice to have' rather than necessary items. “ (Nicki Casley)

How did you train to be able to do your job? Did you find any gaps in your studies/training when you started working? “ I started working in the air quality field back in the UK about 10 years ago. This job related pretty closely to my Meteorological MSc. I guess the main gaps were in consultancy skills rather than technical skills ie report writing,

budget management, client and team interactions. I have worked in air quality for around 10 years with a focus towards sustainability (GHG etc) and then had the fortune to become involved in my current company (Green Chair Recycling) about 4 years ago. This has required learning a slightly new field (sustainable waste management) however, a lot of my previous experience is still very relevant. Through my years in consultancy I have realised that it is essential to have solid technical ability, but ultimately what makes a good consultant is communication. If you can't communicate your message (be it written or spoken) then the technical value is lost. My scientific background gave me a solid basis for becoming a consultant but the communication skills came through on-the-job experience. The environmental fields are constantly changing and therefore there is always a need to learn and develop ie to review new

“Ask The....”

guidance, legislation and scientific understanding.” (Nicki Casley)

Does your job require continuous development? How do you grow/ develop in your job? “Yes, definitely! Initially, I learnt through my immediate colleagues, however, as I have progressed through my career I tend to learn through my network (ie outside my immediate colleagues). “ (Nicki Casley)

Does your job rely on changing technologies?Are you expected to be up to date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “Yes, it is essential to know about changing technologies, ie recycling processes. Again, I keep up to date through my network and conferences.” (Nicki Casley)

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? Does it involve

“Yes, yes and yes!! We essentially have two arms to the business. Firstly we do 'active recycling' where we take a recycling team to community and sporting events to divert as much waste as possible (typically over 95% of the event waste) and secondly we have our educational outreach program where we educate people about waste reduction and recycling. The educational outreach includes consultancy work for businesses and residences, presenting at schools, colleges and interested groups, and inspiring and educating our 900+ list of recycling volunteers. Community engagement is a big part of what Green Chair does and it is very rewarding. There is a finite limit to the impact we can have through active recycling (however big Green Chair may become), however, the potential positive impact through educational outreach is endless! “ (Nicki Casley)

Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities?

community engagement in any form?

“Ask The....”

“Our business model is based on volunteers to support our active recycling program; I actually got involved in the company as a volunteer myself. As part of the business we still do

The rest of the time I spend working from home on the phone or computer. As a small business, I have to take on a lot of duties including the majority of the report writing,

volunteer work; for example, I am taking our recycling to our local school tomorrow night to provide recycling for an evening event.” (Nicki Casley)

managing staﬀ resources, website, marketing, event coordination, project management etc “ (Nicki Casley)

How many people do you work with? How does a normal day look like for

Does your job involve team work?

you? Where are you based? “There isn't seem to be a 'normal day' when running your own business... which suits me fine! We have an oﬃce space which I tend to work from 1 day a week (writing reports, proposals and emailing/telephoning to coordinate upcoming projects and win new work). 1-2 days a week are taken up with meeting with clients to discuss opportunities. We typically have 1-2 events a month where I will be at the event site throughout the event to coordinate our recycling team, generate excitement about recycling, maybe man one of our partners interactive booths and also get my hands dirty sorting and weighing recycling .

“Yes! We have around 900 volunteers who work with our staﬀ to deliver awesome recycling services. These volunteers don't have to come! So it is paramount that we have a great team that people want to come and help to make a positive impact! “ (Nicki Casley)

What character traits are useful in your job? “ My job can be smelly, hard work and long cold hours... so I guess my stubbornness and motivation are essential. I guess someone look-

“Ask The....”

ing to get rich quick would be ill advised to get into waste and recycling!” (Nicki Casley)

Where could someone learn about

What has been the best decision you

available?

have made with regard to your career? Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “Do what you enjoy! Even if you're not sure where it will take you it is most likely to take you to an interesting and fulfilling position. Someone gave me this advise when I was choosing my A levels, I felt that I should take Physics to add to my Chemistry and Maths (rather than Geography). Someone said to do what I enjoyed (which was Geography) which led to my BSc in Geography, my MSc in Meteorology and my first job in air quality.

salary expectations and Training

“By talking to people and asking questions. Sign up to lots of relevant newsletters and start developing a network.” (Nicki Casley)

Any useful links you would like to share? “LinkedIn: Start developing your profile today. This is the start of your network. Only link to people that you have met in person and/or have the potential to help you! “(Nicki Casley)

Do what you love and are passionate about! “ (Nicki Casley)

F Facades Manager “Façade Engineering is the art of resolving aesthetic, environmental and structural issues to achieve the eﬀective enclosure of buildings.” (Wikipedia) Facade Managers work for the contractors making sure that the end product performs to the same standards it was designed to.

“Ask The....”

Vermilion, London, UK by CZWG Architects Llp

What do you like most about your job? “Every day is something new and exciting and there is never a day goes by without learning something new, being part of the process that ends in a building still gives me a huge buzz. “ (Ange Francis)

What are the challenges? “The main challenges are getting people to think outside the box/comfort zone, managing expectations, doing what’s right for the job is not always the popular decision as it’s often challenging other people’s design/decisions.” (Ange Francis)

I have a degree in quantity surveying and building engineering which has been a good grounding for the basic mechanics and commercial aspects but everything else has been learnt on the job working from a very junior draughtsman in a sub-contract company to being the Technical director for a large building envelope company to running my own Consultancy. You can do an MSC in Façade Engineering and although this is very good from a theoretical point of view I would still advise at least 5 years site experience before working for a consultancy firm.” (Ange Francis)

Does your job require continuous development? How do you grow/

How did you train to be able to do

develop in your job?

your job?Did you find any gaps in your studies/training when you started working?

“Yes you constantly need to keep up with new products, changes in regulations etc. I do a lot of reading.” (Ange Francis)

“All my training has been done through working from the bottom up.

Does your job rely on changing technologies?Are you expected to be up to

“Ask The....”

date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “Yes there is always something new in the market, learning new methods, diﬀerent ways of design/installation most of this can be got direct from manufacturers or by attending seminars/conferences’ etc. but most is just reading product technical literature and relevant technical magazines.” (Ange Francis)

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? “There is a constant awareness of sustainability, where products come from, where are they going/ how far they are traveling etc. “ (Ange Francis)

Does it involve community engagement in any form? Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities? “No direct community involvement. “ (Ange Francis)

How does a normal day look like for you? Where are you based? “There is no such thing as a normal day; I cover the whole of our company’s business which is UK & Ireland. I could be in one of our oﬃces with the pre-construction teams working on the tenders, out and about on one of our sites working with the design teams/ subcontractors or carrying out QA audits. I attend meetings with clients and architects, look at new jobs and potential / future work. I also do audits of manufacturing facilities which can be anywhere worldwide. I work closely with all other departments within the business i.e. pre-construction, site teams, QA, H&S, procurement etc. Finally, I am also very involved in our in-house training and graduate programme.” (Ange Francis)

How many people do you work with? Does your job involve team work?

“Ask The....”

“I can be working most of the time on my own due to the vast area I cover but ultimately I am part of a much larger team involved in each project.” (Ange Francis)

Flexibility is hugely important as this is not a regular 9am-5pm job due to the traveling and often you are away from home. “ (Ange Francis)

What has been the best decision you How do you work and interact with

have made with regard to your

your team/s typically?

career? Any lesson or tip you’d like to

“My interaction in the company is anything from the high level management meetings with the directors to interaction with the onsite teams, to working direct with the manufacturers and supply-chain.” (Ange Francis)

What character traits are useful in

share with the younger you? “Having started at the bottom with no knowledge at all, learning all aspects of the work (including all the dirty jobs) is very good grounding and learning on the job shows you things you can never learn from a book.” (Ange Francis)

your job? Where could someone learn about “You have to be organised due to the fact you have an involvement in so many diﬀerent things at the one time, very technically minded and methodical as there is a lot of technical reporting and investigation. You have to be very personable and be competent to sit in meetings with a very varied range of people.

salary expectations and Training available? “Salary can vary depending on the level/ experience but you should expect this to be on par with Civil Engineers. Training can be done through CWCT leading up to an MSC degree at Bath “ (Ange Francis)

“Ask The....”

Any useful links you would like to share? Centre for Window and Cladding technology link here Council for Aluminium in building - link here Glass and Gazing Federation - link here (Ange Francis)

F Forensic Planner/Delay Analyst A FPDA carries out or manages the analysis of delays to a construction project in order to prepare and present claims for extensions of time. Given the potential cost implications of delays in the construction of a project, it is important to be able to look into the right type of data and to know how the time claimed should be calculated.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ask The....â&#x20AC;?

British Museum, London, UK by Foster and Partners

What do you like most about your job? “The variety.

“I have two postgraduate degrees; MSc in Structural Engineering and an MSc in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution. Also during the first stages of my career I was trained to become Chartered Civil Engineer.

You deal with problem solving on an everyday basis. Especially when I was working on building sites problem solving was a way of life. “ (Maria Fisentzou)

Above all I learn through discussion and by asking. “(Maria Fisentzou)

Does your job require continuous What are the challenges? “I find challenging the fact that, even in our modern society, there is still sexual discrimination.

development? How do you grow/ develop in your job? “It does. I mainly attend seminars.” (Maria Fisentzou)

At the beginning of every new commission/ project I need to work harder in order to prove that despite the fact that I am female I can perform and in many cases I can do the job better than my male colleagues.” (Maria Fisentzou)

How did you train to be able to do

Does your job rely on changing technologies?Are you expected to be up to date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “Not to a great extent.” (Maria Fisentzou)

your job?Did you find any gaps in your studies/training when you started working?

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues?

“Ask The....”

“Not really” (Maria Fisentzou)

How does a normal day look like for you? Where are you based? “I am based in the company’s London oﬃce but I get to travel a lot. I mainly need to go where our Client’s oﬃces are.” (Maria Fisentzou)

How many people do you work with? Does your job involve team work? “I mainly work on my own but I do consult my colleagues and discuss issues with them to confirm that I have looked at an issue from all possible angles. Team work is essential, as another means of learning.” (Maria Fisentzou)

What character traits are useful in your job? “Confidence, good client management skills, good listener to clients’ issues.” (Maria Fisentzou)

What has been the best decision you have made with regard to your career? Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “The fact that I have undergone a professional training scheme in order to become Chartered Civil Engineer at the very early stages of my career. Also the fact that I did the two MSc degrees some years after I started gaining working experience. “ (Maria Fisentzou)

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available? “The corresponding professional body. I.e. if they choose a career in civil engineering then the Institution of Civil Engineers would be a good place to get this information from.” (Maria Fisentzou)

Any useful links you would like to share? Institution of Civil Engineers- Link here

“Ask The....”

L Landscape Architect “Landscape architects are the designers (or should be) of most outdoor public and private space: from land reclamation, mining or forestry at the largest scale; through master-planning cities; to the detailed design of parks, streets, playgrounds and even street furniture. “ (Geoﬀ Southern)

“Ask The....”

Chichu Garden, Naoshima Island, Japan

What do you like most about your job? “Designing, both strategically and in detail, is the thing that brought me into the profession and the thing that keeps me in it. I like the sculptural nature of the work and am interested in the materials with which things are made. “ (Geoﬀ Southern)

What do you wish you’d have known on choosing your career? “How important everything is, from history to physics, as early on in education it is very easy to become too specialised or at least to leave some things behind.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

What are the challenges?

“ I did an Architecture degree, and postgraduate diplomas in both Architecture and Landscape Architecture. This wasn’t the most direct route into the job (there are dedicated Landscape Architecture degrees at various universities) but was very comprehensive training.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

Did you find any gaps in your studies/ training when you started working? “Yes, but I think the missing pieces are pretty diﬃcult to teach without being in a working environment. It is why practical training is such an important part of our industry.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

Does your job require continuous development?

“Delivering good projects for limited budgets. “ (Geoﬀ Southern)

How did you train to be able to do your job?

“It does, as do almost all professions.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

How do you grow/develop in your job?

“Ask The....”

“I push myself to improve, and try to learn from those around me.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

“My work is generally for private clients so community engagement is limited.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

Does your job rely on changing technologies? “Yes, both for the tools we use (such as software) and those used to build (such as CNC / computer controlled cutting of parts). These advances are however slow to be integrated to ensure they are reliable, though the constant updating of software is becoming more and more onerous.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? “Yes, it is a very important part of the agenda of Landscape Architects (and the wider construction industry).” (Geoﬀ Southern)

Does it involve community engagement in any form?

Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities? “Rarely, other than the occasional competition.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

How does a normal day look like for you? Where are you based? “Mostly oﬃce-based in the UK, with occasional site visits (rarely more than twice a week).” (Geoﬀ Southern)

How many people do you work with? “I generally work in small project specific design teams (of between 3-12 people).“ (Geoﬀ Southern)

Does your job involve team work?

“Ask The....”

“Yes, always. The larger a project becomes the more people are involved and the more important team-work skills become.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

How do you work and interact with your team/s typically? “I try to be as eﬃcient as I can be, using email and telephone wherever possible (especially on projects outside the UK). There is still however a need to meet people face-to-face, and this should not be underestimated.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

What character traits are useful in your job?

Is there a type of person that you’d not advise to join your profession? “Those who are solely money-driven.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

What has been the best decision you have made with regard to your career? “I chose to take my work experience and early training in a small practice, where I was exposed to a lot of diﬀerent projects at various stages and in many sectors. This was a very good grounding for understanding the wider structure of the construction industry.” (Geoﬀ Southern)

• “Clear honest communication. • Good time-management. • A considered approach to things (not simply jumping to conclusions).” (Geoﬀ Southern)

Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “To research as much as possible on anything you are doing, and to speak to people more (after all they are just people). Either that or be a product designer at Apple.”

“Ask The....”

(Geoﬀ Southern)

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available? “A lot of information is available through the Landscape Institute (see useful links below) and the RIBA. “ (Geoﬀ Southern)

Any useful links you would like to share? • Landscape Institute - link here • RIBA- link here (Geoﬀ Southern)

M Marketing and Communication “I’m responsible for overseeing Marketing, Communications (PR) and Business Development across the UK and international markets which is aimed at promoting the practice and its staﬀ” (Yvette Higson)

“Ask The....”

Kings Cross Filling Station, London, by Garmody Groarke

What do you like most about your

How did you train to be able to do

job?

your job? Did you find any gaps in your

“Some would say I write nice stories and put

studies/training when you started working?

pretty pictures together and that’s pretty much what I do. It’s a creative position with many challenges and never a dull moment. The good thing is that you can do this job for just about any company, anywhere in the world. “ (Yvette Higson)

“I started oﬀ studying for a degree in medicine. That soon changed when I realised I was a ‘right brain type’ and opted for more creative courses, getting my BA in Arts (Public Relations).” (Yvette Higson)

What do you wish you’d have known on choosing your career?

Does your job require continuous

“If I’d known just how creative it is, it would have saved me a lot of time and money at University. I realised medicine wasn’t my calling.” (Yvette Higson)

“Marketing is constantly changing so you have to keep up with the latest trends. “ (Yvette Higson)

development?

How do you grow/develop in your job? What are the challenges? “The biggest for me are : Trying to please as many people as possible , Deadlines and Maintaining the practice’s reputation. “ (Yvette Higson)

“I do a lot of reading, meeting with industry agencies (PR, technology, printing, etc) and attend seminars to keep me up to speed. “ (Yvette Higson)

“Ask The....”

Does your job rely on changing technologies? “Absolutely! Marketing use to be all about print (magazines, newsletters, brochures, etc) but in the past several years this has changed and digital is the ‘in thing’ and is here to stay. “ (Yvette Higson)

Are you expected to be up to date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “Technology changes rapidly so we aim to be at the head of this. We were one of the first architectural practices to have an App on iTunes and probably the first to do this inhouse.” (Yvette Higson)

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? “In terms of the environment we have a Sustainability team that we promote on a regular basis (mostly through PR). Additionally, my team is constantly working to source

environmental materials for all marketing tools.” (Yvette Higson)

Does it involve community engagement in any form? Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities? “We have a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) programme and are regularly involved in a number of charitable activities, some of which require staﬀ to take paid leave. I haven’t managed to do the 1500 km Cycle to MIPIM ride just yet.” (Yvette Higson)

How does a normal day look like for you? Where are you based? “I’m based in London and travel to Manchester every week for meetings. I’m usually pulled in a number of directions so have to juggle multiple tasks. This can range from working with a journalist to get a story out to press to developing a new project campaign to proofing a new brochure, plus a bit more.” (Yvette Higson)

“Ask The....”

How many people do you work with? Does your job involve team work?

“You constantly have to work with people, usually asking for things so it’s not ideal for an introvert.” (Yvette Higson)

“I currently have a team of eight based in London and Manchester and work with them on a daily basis to meet deadlines and set new plans.” (Yvette Higson)

What has been the best decision you

How do you work and interact with your team/s typically?

share with the younger you?

“This is either in person, over the phone or email. I also work daily (via email) with the marketing team in our Hong Kong oﬃce. “ (Yvette Higson)

What character traits are useful in your job? “ Working in marketing/communications requires someone with an outgoing personality. “ (Yvette Higson)

Is there a type of person that you’d not advise to join your profession?

have made with regard to your career? Any lesson or tip you’d like to

“One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received is to ‘come with a solution and not a problem’. This allows a person to think of new ideas and solve problems on their own. It also shows initiative.” (Yvette Higson)

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available? “Many of the recruiters publish a salary report. Michael Page is a good start. The Chartered Institute of Marketing is a great way to learn more about the field.” (Yvette Higson)

“Ask The....”

Any useful links you would like to share? Chartered Institute of Marketing - here (Yvette Higson)

O Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations Engineer “I I work in a team of offshore engineers which design offshore wind turbine foundations such as monopile or jacket structures including all the platforms and secondary steel. I also project manage tidal projects.” (Fanny Arendt)

“Ask The....”

Thanet Oﬀshore Wind Farm (in the horizon) from Margate, UK

What do you like most about your job? What do you wish you’d have known on choosing your career? What are the challenges? “I like the fact that I work in renewables which contributes to a more sustainable energy future. I also like the fact that it is a relatively new industry and I feel that I can make a real contribution to improving future designs. As a female engineer, I work with mainly male colleagues but this has never been an issue and actually contributes to a more eﬃcient and though-through project.” (Fanny Arendt)

How did you train to be able to do

I first started working in the buildings department and after 5 years I moved into the oﬀshore business. It is relatively easy to change between jobs, but it is essential to be motivated to learn new skills all the time and keep on top of what’s going on. You also need to teach yourself what you do not know and being open-minded and interested in other people’s work helps. The main challenge coming from university is that in the working environment, you have no ‘exams’ and do not get ‘graded’, so most of the time you may not be sure of how ‘good’ you are compared to others. This needs some adjusting but it is a normal way to get used to the working environment.” (Fanny Arendt)

your job? Did you find any gaps in your studies/training when you started working? “My civil engineering degree gave me a good basis for starting in construction projects.

Does your job require continuous development? “I think in any engineering job you will always need to keep up with latest developments and changes in the industry and try to find new

“Ask The....”

idea on how to do mundane things instead of doing them the way ‘you have always done them’. (Fanny Arendt)

journals.. When new standards come out, these are also generally discussed and reviewed within the team so you are aware of the changes that are happening. “ (Fanny Arendt)

How do you grow/develop in your job?

Does your job promote awareness on “ You can attend seminars, institution lectures, discuss technical solutions with colleagues, read magazines and so on, but most of all it is about asking the right questions (to yourself or others) and putting in a bit of extra eﬀort to understand a problem fully.” (Fanny Arendt)

Does your job rely on changing technologies? Are you expected to be up to date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “I work in a relatively new industry and new technologies or new ways of analysing, calculating and finding solutions emerge all the time. Companies oﬀer training courses if relevant, but there is a lot you can do yourself.

environmental issues? Does it involve community engagement in any form? “I work in renewable energies for once, but beside that, we do not generally get involved with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which are done by specialist companies. However internally in the company there is a Sustainability Task Group that organises regular events and activities and Ramboll gets involved with the London Festival of Architecture promoting sustainable designs. In addition, Ramboll has a Sustainability Department where engineers analyse and design sustainable options for projects. “ (Fanny Arendt)

On the other hand, you may find out about new ideas from your colleagues or from

“Ask The....”

Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities? “I am part of a Charity Task Group and we organise various activities (e.g. blood donations) company-wide.” (Fanny Arendt)

How does a normal day look like for you? Where are you based? “I work in an oﬃce block in Central London and I generally get in at 9 o’clock. I will sit on my desk most of the day or attend meetings and sometimes I travel to client meetings or to other oﬃces within Ramboll.” (Fanny Arendt)

How many people do you work with? Does your job involve team work? “The oﬀshore wind team consists of 26 people, 25 guys and me. However there are two more teams on the same floor and we all sit in an open oﬃce block, including directors.

We get up, have coﬀee breaks and talk to each other, about work or other. It is quite a relaxed atmosphere generally, but it can get stressful at times when deadlines are approaching. We work on projects in teams of 5-15 people, depending on the size of the project. “ (Fanny Arendt)

How do you work and interact with your team/s typically? “We have regular meetings (generally weekly) so everyone is aware of the programme and any issues arising. I also work with colleagues in Denmark and Hamburg and we keep in touch over Lync, an internal system similar to Skype.” (Fanny Arendt)

What character traits are useful in your job? Is there a type of person that you’d not advise to join your profession? “It is useful if you are a social person and interact well with others. Furthermore, if you are a technical person, you will find it easy to

“Ask The....”

adjust to the number crunching and computer softwares that we use.

(secondments) or as part of a work experience.” (Fanny Arendt)

However you will be sat on a chair most of the time, so if you prefer to be out and about, then

Where could someone learn about

it’s probably better to be working on a construction site where you move around a lot and be close to the physical happenings.” (Fanny Arendt)

What has been the best decision you have made with regard to your career? Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “I worked 3 years on construction sites and I really loved it. I think early on, that is probably the best experience you can get as an engineer.

salary expectations and Training available? “Engineering is underpaid profession compared to other industries, so if you are in it for the money, you’re gone the wrong way. However, you can definitely live of it and if you are passionate about the profession, it is highly enjoyable. More than money could give you.” (Fanny Arendt)

Any useful links you would like to share? Institution of Civil Engineers- Link here

You learn so much when you are on site and it is very motivating to see a building grow every year and complete a project that you have worked on for a long time. Even if you are more an oﬃce person, it is good to get some experience on-site, whether it is a year within your training agreement

Q Quantity Surveyor “The Quantity Surveyor is in charge of the cost management and control of construction projects” (Gareth Rowlands) “I advise on build budget, procuring construction works, administering contracts and managing payments “ (Aine Downie) “I measure the materials and cost to build a building “ (Zan Lee)

“Ask The....”

Heron Tower, London, by Kohn Pedersen Fox

job?

also like that the work is project based: good or bad, nothing is forever. There is also limitless scope for changing aspects of what you do & learning from the people with whom you

“It allows you to get involved in projects and

work.” . (Aine Downie)

What do you like most about your

manage the client’s expectations. I have worked on a wide range of projects of various sizes and values. The role can be used almost anywhere so opens the opportunity to travel and work overseas.” (Gareth Rowlands) “ I am from a family of Architects and wanted to work in the built environment. I initially wanted to be an Architect, but was put oﬀ by the long training, relatively low pay and realisation that you are always delivering someone else's dream.” (Aine Downie)

What do you like most about your job? “I love the fact that there is a tangible asset produced (ie. a building) as a result of all the teams' hard work and that in order to make a project happen, a group of people from diﬀerent disciplines are required to work together. I

What are the challenges? “The creation of a built structure involves an incredibly complex process, frought with challenges. Every project is genuinely unique and each team has varying strengths and weaknesses. It is not as easy as TV shows make out! Mistakes are often made and details missed, programmes are often unrealistically optimistic and so there is commonly pressure to meet deadlines. You wont always get along with everyone because everyone has their own priorities, so a good sense of humour and a willingness to negotiate are required!” (Aine Downie)

What do you wish you’d have known on choosing your career?

“Ask The....”

“ "If you do something you love, you will never work a day in your life".

become a chartered member of the RICS.” (Gareth Rowlands)

Rather than chasing the £££, do something you are passionate about. It the money is still impor-

“I managed to get a training contract with a Sub-contractor, working 4 days a week and do-

tant, it will follow.

ing a part time degree 1 day a week.

Unfortunately, prejudices still exist, but most blokes are happy to see women on site (and the ones who aren't don’t matter). Roll with it and don't take anything personally.

A full time 3 year degree course takes 5 years part-time. Whilst you miss out on the 'University Experience' of student life, most firms will pay your fees, so not only are you earning a decent salary, you avoid the debt trap that lots of students face.

Finally, I didn't get Chartered early as I was focussing on work and consequently am still not Chartered more than a decade in. Get your degree finished and get Chartered early, whatever your discipline, then get on site and actually learn how to do the job... there is plenty of time to work!” (Aine Downie)

How did you train to be able to do your job? “I studied and RICS accredited degree at university and carried out the minimum 2 years in-work experience before sitting my Assessment of Professional Competence and

There are lots of routes into construction, and experience is key - any experience is better than none. Look at the appropriate body (for me it's the RICS) to find out which courses are accredited. “ (Aine Downie)

Did you find any gaps in your studies/ training when you started working? “Built Environment careers, whatever the specialism, are fundamentally practical jobs, so whilst a degree will teach you the theory and give you a grounding in related subjects you

“Ask The....”

only really learn how to do the job on the job. It's never as easy in practice as it is in principle. Don't let this frustrate you!

ous Professional Development) courses/ seminars etc every year.” (Aine Downie)

How do you grow/develop in your job? Gaps in knowledge are not a problem (everyone has them), so long as you ask lots of questions of everyone, and read up on things you are unsure about, you will be fine. Most senior people in construction are older because it takes years to get the experience you need to be really good. Don't be in a hurry and remember you will always be learning.” (Aine Downie)

Does your job require continuous development?

“There are lots of options for growth and development. Lots of companies run in-house training, all the Professional bodies run training and many other organisations will run courses/ lectures etc many of which are free to attend. Search the internet and read professional magazines to find out what's on when. Within the work environment, changing jobs is a good way of seeking new challenges when you stop learning, or oﬀering yourself up to help others within your firm. Be proactive and always say yes!” (Aine Downie)

“Yes, during the 2+years training programme you are required to carry out 48hours per year of CPD, then once a member you are required to log a minimum of 20 hours of CPD per year” (Gareth Rowlands)

Does your job rely on changing

“All jobs require continuous development if you are to stay current. If you become Chartered, you will be required to undertake CPD (Continu-

“You are expected to keep up to date and should be up to date with industry changes.

technologies? Are you expected to be up to date or is this something that companies oﬀer?

“Ask The....”

Both the RICS and RLB are proactive in holding internal training sessions.” (Gareth Rowlands)

volve the people closely and directly impacted by the build (neighbours).” (Aine Downie)

“Most elements of construction rely on changing technologies, be it online software system for information

How does a normal day look like for you?

management, new plant and machinery on site or new building materials which form part of the construction. These tend to be things you pick up as part of your day to day work life.” (Aine Downie)

Where are you based? “ I am oﬃce based in London. I probably spend 2 days per week on site/ site meetings but have also travelled in Europe, the USA and the Middle East with work.” (Gareth Rowlands)

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? Does it involve community engagement in any form? Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities? “Yes, the company is a keen supporter of a number of community schemes and has partner charities as well as carrying out work on a pro-bono basis. For example in disaster zones such as Haiti and more recently the Philippines” (Gareth Rowlands) “Construction is lead largely by legislation and building regulations. In commercial developments, company policy relating to the environment may also impact on priorities. It varies company to company and project to project.” (Aine Downie)

Does it involve community engagement in any form? “The level of community engagement varies depending on the nature of the scheme. Major developments with new roads, public facilities, homes and parks etc will need to involve the community impacted by the development. Smaller projects are likely only to in-

“I ’m working for a Developer at the moment, so the basic work hours are quite long, at 8am to 6pm, though in busy parts of the month we will often work later. There is a culture of work hard play hard and people rarely take a lunch break that involves more than popping to a shop and eating. There are lots of emails to deal with and meetings on at least several days a week. I am based on a large site in central London but most of my time is spent in the site oﬃces rather than on the site proper. I'll try to get on to site at least once a week, or more as necessary. The building I'm working on is in full swing construction with all trades on site, so we are at our maximum team size. “ (Aine Downie)

How many people do you work with? “My sector team has 12 members, there are 120+ people in the London oﬃce, 400 in the UK and 200+ globally.” (Gareth Rowlands) “There are seven Site Managers working under the Project Manager, two Quantity Surveyors (inc me) and a Technical Co-ordinator. These 11 comprise the core team, but there is also input from the Architects,

Health & Safety Managers, Temporary Works Engineer and Logistics Manager who work site wide and of course Senior Management.

“Being proactive and organised is essential, Work must be done diligently and you should be able to work with all types of people and other professionals” (Gareth Rowlands)

All of the trade contractors also have their own Site Managers and there are 150-200 operatives doing the building works on site. “ (Aine Downie)

Does your job involve team work? “Generally the teams work on a project basis, I have projects that I work on independently but also others where I have been part of a team of 6 or more.” (Gareth Rowlands) “Team work is crucial to getting the job built and sometimes it's important to stand up and say the thing that no one wants to hear. The important thing is that there is always a solution - you just have to find it. It's ok to say no if it's in the best interests of the project. That said, remember that you need to get on with people and to treat others as you would like to be treated yourself! “ (Aine Downie)

How do you work and interact with your/the team/s typically? “Because of the scale of the job, most of the time the people I need are on site. Generally speaking, I like to communicate face to face where possible, by telephone if face to face is not an option and then lastly by email. I also confirm everything agreed in person/ on the phone by email so that there is record, incase thing are forgotten.” (Aine Downie)

What character traits are useful in your job?

“Variety is the spice of life and Construction seems to attract all sorts of Characters. An open mind in dealing with all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds will help, together with a determination to get things done under pressure. A sense of humour is imperative! Attention to detail is also important, particularly when dealing with figures and payments. Despite dealing with numbers and money, you don't need to be a maths hot-shot.” (Aine Downie)

What has been the best decision you have made with regard to your career? Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “Studying and sitting my APC as soon as possible would be the best advice I could give, also trying to work with as many people on as varied types of project as possible until you can find a speciality of sector to focus on.” (Gareth Rowlands) “The best things I have done in my career is move companies every few years as not only does it give you a chance to 'climb the ladder' a bit, in terms of both responsibility and pay, it also allows you to see the good and bad in how each company operates. You can learn as much from watchings something being done badly (ie. how not to!) as something being done well.

Is there a type of person that you’d not advise to join your profession?

Focus on one thing at a time... but keep an eye for the future!” (Aine Downie)

Any useful links you would like to share? Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors- Link here

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available?

Building Magazine- Link here (Gareth Rowlands)

“ The RICS website, building magazine and other construction/property literature are the best source of information. The RICS, Delever and the CPD foundation are also good sources of in-work training” (Gareth Rowlands) “Construction salaries vary as much as the industry. As a rule of thumb, the further down the contracting line you are, the higher your salary. That is, Subcontractors pay more than Main Contractors who pay more than Consultants/ Private Quantity Surveyors. It's important to bear in mind the kind of experience you want, more than the pay. Pay will increase with experience. Recruitment websites will give clearer ideas about salary expectations as they fluctuate according to how busy the industry is and in what area you are located geographically. There are lots of options for part time study for progression - find something that interests you and it will be a lot easier. For graduates, lots of the bigger companies have training Schemes which can be a good introduction to the industry. The most important thing is to be brave and just get stuck in.” (Aine Downie)

S Solicitor: Dispute Resolution “A dispute resolution lawyer helps resolve disputes, outside the courtroom, in a non adversarial process. “

“Ask The....”

Podium Garden of Rathbone Market Phase 1, London, by Churchman Landscape Architects

What do you like most about your job? “Solving problems and working as a team.

“Maintaining a work/life balance “ (Theresa Mohammed)

How did you train to be able to do your job?

A typical week could involve a variety of tasks from oﬀering commercial and strategic advice, attending a networking event for NAWIC, lecturing on construction law for RICS, preparing for a Court hearing or traveling to and from construction sites to see clients. As far as I am concerned the job is most rewarding when you get your clients out of a diﬃcult situation. “ (Theresa Mohammed)

What do you wish you’d have known on choosing your career? “I think we all believe we need to rush and get on with things so quickly. I think I would recommend that new graduates should take their time and consider their options carefully.” (Theresa Mohammed)

What are the challenges?

“You need a degree and to complete either a law conversion course (for a non-law degree), professional qualifications and then a two year training contract. Generally 6-7 years of training. From then it takes between 7-10+ years to make Partner.” (Theresa Mohammed)

Did you find any gaps in your studies/ training when you started working? “Definitely, studying law is not a practical exercise and actually practicing in your junior years is the reverse. If you work on construction disputes or any large commercial dispute you will need strong administrative skills as there will be mountains of project documents both electronic and hard copy. Similarly if your dispute ends up in Court the most junior people will be preparing bundles, indexes, schedules and so on.

“Ask The....”

Also, you will need to have a good appreciation of the technical aspects of construction and the risk allocation in diﬀerent forms of construction contract. ” (Theresa Mohammed)

Does your job require continuous development? “Yes, almost constant updating/ refreshing of developments in the law.” (Theresa Mohammed)

and the technology that is being used by other construction professionals. ” (Theresa Mohammed)

Are you expected to be up to date or is this something that companies oﬀer? “We are oﬀered training in house as our clients expect us to be up to date all of the time.” (Theresa Mohammed)

Does your job promote awareness on

How do you grow/develop in your job?

environmental issues?

“Attending training, providing training and making sure you take up opportunities to network/ collaborate with others.” (Theresa Mohammed)

“Yes in as much as it is the focus of our clients” (Theresa Mohammed)

Does it involve community engagement in any form?

Does your job rely on changing technologies? “Yes with regards to e-disclosure and document management. It also makes sense for us to keep an eye on developments in terms of design, construction and sustainability

“Yes we have a firm commitment to corporate social responsibility. I take part in our primary school reading scheme for example. Also, a few of us are now involved in the Girls' Network which oﬀers mentoring to secondary school girls across the country.” (Theresa Mohammed)

“Ask The....”

Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities?

“15-50 if I include our wider Projects & Construction team “ (Theresa Mohammed)

Does your job involve team work?

“It is not a requirement but the firm supports our choir, annual ski trips, sports teams, quiz nights and charity eﬀorts. Most people find the time to squeeze one or two activities in.” (Theresa Mohammed)

“Yes we are in a team with our client, our colleagues and our technical experts. I would say law firms are all about team work and people-management.” (Theresa Mohammed)

How does a normal day look like for

How do you work and interact with your team/s typically?

you? “It is not a requirement but the firm supports our choir, annual ski trips, sports teams, quiz nights and charity eﬀorts. Most people find the time to squeeze one or two activities in.” (Theresa Mohammed)

Where are you based? “London and our regional oﬃces” (Theresa Mohammed)

How many people do you work with?

“Emails and phone calls but face to face is always best.” (Theresa Mohammed)

What character traits are useful in your job? “Enthusiasm, reliability and a thick skin. If you can be cheerful in the face of daunting and occasionally boring administrative tasks the senior lawyers will adore you.” (Theresa Mohammed)

Is there a type of person that you’d not advise to join your profession?

“Ask The....”

“No, we need variety.” (Theresa Mohammed)

(Theresa Mohammed)

What has been the best decision you

Any useful links you would like to share?

have made with regard to your

Lawyer 2 be - Link here

career? (Theresa Mohammed) “I have always taken a big interest in business development which I think has really helped my development and understanding of the market.” (Theresa Mohammed)

Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “Be patient.” (Theresa Mohammed)

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available? “The Lawyer job adverts usually identify current salaries. Lawyer2b and most firms set the training opportunities out on their websites “

S Sprinkler Engineer “I am responsible for delivering a contract on time and in budget “ (Amanda Ball)

“Ask The....”

The Shard, London, by Renzo Piano

What do you like most about your

Does your job require continuous

job?

development? How do you grow/

“My favorite aspect of this job is the ability to

develop in your job? Are you expected to be up to date or is this something that companies oﬀer?

travel around the country meeting lots of diﬀerent clients and being involved with a variety of sites, all with diverse issues that require my input in lots of diﬀerent ways to ensure a successful result” (Amanda Ball)

What are the challenges? “The job requires long hours, which is very tiring and can be a nightmare to organise childcare around.” (Amanda Ball)

How did you train to be able to do your job? “ My current job is that of a Fire/ Sprinkler Project Engineer , which is the natural progression from being a Sprinkler Design ENgineer. When I was a designer I was assigned to a very well qualified project engineer and I learnt my trade from him, sometimes that was also learning how not to do things! “ (Amanda Ball)

“Yes, at AD we formally train our engineers in various aspects that they might have shortfalls in. We also run in house workshops to focus on certain issues and encourage knowledge sharing, we also like our engineers to get involved with external mentor programmes, these help people to overcome any personal hang ups that they might have. “ (Amanda Ball)

Does your job rely on changing technologies? “The British standards that we work to are always being updated and changed and it is very important to keep up to date with what’s happening.

“Ask The....”

Also sprinkler manufacturers are always testing new products which can change the way we do things. “ (Amanda Ball)

attend site meetings with the clients and other subcontractors to discuss progress and any issues. I do a lot of driving for my role. “ (Amanda Ball)

Does your job promote awareness on environmental issues? Does it involve

How many people do you work with?

community engagement in any form?

Does your job involve team work?

“Community engagement is encouraged for those that have the desire and time. We have recently been involved with the primary engineer program. “ (Amanda Ball)

“I work closely with my designers and fitters. If I have any issues I can talk to my section manager or the general manager “ (Amanda Ball)

How does a normal day look like for

your job?

you? Where are you based? “Every day is diﬀerent; I am responsible for around 12 live contracts at a time. It is imperative that I ensure that all the clients are happy with our work, whilst maintaining a healthy profit and overhead on all my contracts. I liaise closely with the clients to ensure that I am on top of their programme requirements. I need to visits my sites regularly to ensure that my fitters have installed our systems correctly and that we are on track. I will

What character traits are useful in

“It is really important that you are a confident outgoing person to fulfill this role; you spend a lot of time on the phone and in meetings. You need to be able to converse with many different types of people in a totally diﬀerent way, even when you are talking about the same issue. Eg Clients, fitters and site owners are all concerned about diﬀerent aspects. “ (Amanda Ball)

“Ask The....”

What has been the best decision you have made with regard to your career? Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “I have always embraced any opportunity without worrying if I can fulfill the role, I would encourage everyone to stretch themselves as it is not healthy to be overly comfortable in your role, either for yourself or for the company you are working for. “ (Amanda Ball)

Any useful links you would like to share? The LPCB website lists every LPCB sprinkler company in it, classing them as “installing companies”- Link here Our trade association and has lots of information about sprinklers- Link here Our own website shows the typical week for a project engineer- Link here (Amanda Ball)

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available? “A project engineer would command a starting salary of 28k + company car and phone. A manager in sprinklers with 10 + years of experience would achieve 35k + LPCB Basic, Intermediate and FHC Health & Safety and Management courses” (Amanda Ball)

“Ask The....”

T Transport Planner “The Transport Planner delivers the transport elements of development schemes “ (Phil Longman)

“Ask The....”

Cambridge Circus, London, by Churchman Landscape Architects

What do you like most about your

• Generating new work opportunities.

job?

• Generating a financial profit .” (Phil Longman)

“That every project is diﬀerent. “(Phil Longman)

How did you train to be able to do What do you wish you’d have known on choosing your career?

your job? Did you find any gaps in your

“The wide range of specialisms that offer different avenues for development and the opportunities to develop into different roles within the industry.” (Phil Longman)

“Although I completed a BEng Civil Engineering degree and a Master’s degree in Transportation Planning and Engineering, these courses were

What are the challenges? “Keeping up to date with changing policies and technical progress within the industry. • Developing relationships with clients, governing authorities and other professionals

studies/training when you started working?

not adequately aligned with the practical requirements for the role of a graduate within the industry. As a result I relied on on-the-job training and organised training courses that were specifically targeted at providing the skills required for my role. “ (Phil Longman)

• Identifying and pursuing opportunities to develop yourself.

Does your job require continuous

• Choosing the most appropriate career path to match your skills, interests and market conditions.

develop in your job?

• Delivering high quality, viable solutions.

development? How do you grow/

“Although not essential, continuously pursuing personal development can not only help you

“Ask The....”

get ahead in this industry through gaining new knowledge and understanding of current issues and solutions, but also increases the enjoyment of the subject.” (Phil Longman)

environmental impacts that may arise from my work – and is in fact built into the company project management systems – there are times when, as a consultancy, the demands of our

Does your job rely on changing

clients can put us at odds with environmental best-practice. “ (Phil Longman)

technologies? Are you expected to be up to date or is this something that companies offer? “The best companies will attempt to keep up to date in order to provide the best possible service to clients and to assist their staff. However, sometimes this is driven by staff members who tend to be closest to new technologies when they emerge. It can therefore also be the responsibility of staff to make sure they and the company they work for are up to date. “ (Phil Longman)

Does it involve community engagement in any form? “Some projects require public consultation either through methods such as survey questionnaires, workshops, public meetings, exhibitions etc “ (Phil Longman)

Does your job require / leave time for you to volunteer or take part in other activities?

environmental issues?

“My job does not specifically require it and any involvement in volunteer work on behalf of my company would need to align with company or project values or provide direct (e.g. company skills development) or indirect (e.g.

“Yes, to a degree. Although there is an underlying responsibility to be aware of any

personal skills development relevant to my work) benefit to the company and not create conflicts of interest.

Does your job promote awareness on

“Ask The....”

If volunteering or other activities undertaken outside of work, the possibility of conflicts of interest with company values or work (e.g. through campaigning or protesting) should be

“Almost always. Projects mostly require significant amounts of collaborative working on a daily basis” (Phil Longman)

considered. “ (Phil Longman)

How do you work and interact with your team/s typically?

How does a normal day look like for you? Where are you based? “ Usually based in the oﬃce working independently or with other company staﬀ. I may be working on reports, spreadsheets, transport-specific software. I will be communicating with colleagues and clients either through email, telephone or in meetings. “ (Phil Longman)

How many people do you work with? “This can vary considerably from 5-10 to 30-40 depending on what projects are running at the time.” (Phil Longman)

Does your job involve team work?

“Meetings (formal or informal), workshops, general discussions, phone calls, emails. Projects mostly require significant amounts of collaborative working on a daily basis” (Phil Longman)

What character traits are useful in your job? “Providing innovative ideas, good analytical skills, problem identification and solving, able to work with other people, listening to people, an interest in the subject” (Phil Longman)

Is there a type of person that you’d not advise to join your profession? “There are all types of people in this profession.” (Phil Longman)

“Ask The....”

What has been the best decision you have made with regard to your

Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation - link here

career?

Institution of Civil Engineers - link here

“To leave my previous employer and join my current one “(Phil Longman)

Peter Brett Associates - link here (Phil Longman)

Any lesson or tip you’d like to share with the younger you? “Do not be shy in making people aware of your achievements “(Phil Longman)

Where could someone learn about salary expectations and Training available? “Recruitment consultants, careers fares, staﬀ in the industry willing to share their salary details.” “ (Phil Longman)

Any useful links you would like to share? Transport Planning Society - link here

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