黑洞社区

Jamie McGovern

Assistant quantity surveyor, Gleeds

Q Has the year since you started in construction lived up to expectations?

A Absolutely. By joining the industry at the top of the market I feel like I鈥檝e really seen it at its best 鈥� in terms of projects, clients and social events.

Q Have you achieved what you said you wanted to in the time?

A I have 鈥� I鈥檝e completed my university conversion course and am well on my way to becoming chartered. I鈥檝e also run my own smaller jobs and am settling into assisting on some great, big developments now.

Q What has been the biggest challenge you鈥檝e faced in your job?

A Balancing the pressures of the day job with both my uni course and APC study, all while trying to have some semblance of a social life.

Emma Taylor

Architectural assistant, Assael

Q In your experience so far, does the industry encourage and nurture new talent?

A Yes it does. It seems that a lot of practices are looking for young architects and students to incorporate into their practice. I think they see the long-term benefits of this.

Q What鈥檚 your view on the government appearing to backtrack on green built-environment policies such as the zero carbon target, the Green Deal, and subsidies for wind farms and solar power?

A I am surprised this has happened, and that they have scrapped legislation such as Code for Sustainable Homes. Sustainability is the most important area in construction. If anything, the introduction of 鈥済reen鈥� legislation should have been accelerated.

Q Has the attitude of your firm to sustainability changed at all?

A I think that most people in architecture continue to feel strongly about sustainability. However, the decision on how sustainable to make a project lies with the client, and they have the final say. Therefore the incentive has to be there for clients to make buildings greener.

Abigail Watts-Cherry

Architectural assistant, Hawkins\Brown

Q Have you achieved what you said you wanted to in the time?

A Last year I said that I wanted to see something realised that I had contributed to; since then I鈥檝e been working on a complex infrastructure project, Tottenham Court Road Station, and I鈥檝e been allowed a hands-on role on the production of construction drawings. I haven鈥檛 yet seen anything built that I have worked on but I鈥檓 sure when it opens next year I will do.

Q In your experience so far, does the industry encourage and nurture new talent?

A Yes, but I鈥檝e realised that you have to be vocal and flaunt your skills if you want to make the most of the opportunities on offer.

Q Will you get a summer holiday 鈥� if so, where?

A I would love to say I鈥檓 going somewhere ultra exotic like the Caribbean鈥� but unfortunately I鈥檒l be staying in the UK for some time as I鈥檝e just spent every penny I have on buying my first property.

Fergus Ellis

Development assistant, Barratt London

Q Has the year since you started in construction lived up to expectations?

A It鈥檚 flown by. I thought I鈥檇 have things mastered by now but I鈥檝e realised how much there is to learn. Every day is always interesting and I can see a long career ahead.

Q What has been the biggest challenge you鈥檝e faced in your job?

A Day-to-day, attention to detail is critical in this line of work. A tiny error at one end of the scale can have catastrophic effects at the other.

Q In your experience so far, does the industry encourage and nurture new talent?

A I meet young professionals from other firms on a daily basis and it seems companies are really encouraging their staff to carry out professional qualifications. Barratt London is now supporting me through an MSc and my RICS APC 鈥� the support has been overwhelming.

Q What鈥檚 your view on the government appearing to backtrack on green built environment policies such as the zero carbom target, the Green Deal, and subsidies for wind farms and solar power?

A There is no doubt low-carbon homes should be the ambition and we should aspire to what the original policies were there to promote 鈥� a more environmentally friendly industry.

Q Has the attitude of your firm to sustainability changed at all?

A Honestly, it鈥檚 been a focal point ever since I started. Regardless of the shifts in policy it is still very high up on the agenda.

Q Will you get a summer holiday 鈥� if so, where?

A I have just got back from a trip to Oman with my friends where we went trekking in an old, dried-up riverbed called Wadi-Shab. It was quite spectacular. Now that I鈥檓 recharged, I鈥檓 just looking forward to getting back to work.

Sophie Miller

Graduate trainee, Redrow

Q In your experience so far, does the industry encourage and nurture new talent?

A The amount of time that the construction industry puts into training and development is outstanding, the need for young talent to enter the industry is at an all-time high and firms are providing the educational resources needed to attract and retain graduates, undergraduates, trainees, apprentices etc.

Q What鈥檚 your view on the government appearing to backtrack on green built environment policies such as the zero carbon target, the Green Deal, and subsidies for wind farms and solar power?

A Because of this the industry is now almost taking a step back. It鈥檚 disappointing to see as green policies not only benefit construction and housebuilding firms but also the consumers.

Euan Beaddie

Trainee building manager, Willmott Dixon

Q What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in your job?

A The biggest challenge I have faced in my job is the skills shortage that the industry is experiencing. If this issue is not addressed with more, better quality trade-based apprenticeships, then this will be a challenge this industry will face for many years to come.

Q In your experience so far, does the industry encourage and nurture new talent?

A I think contractors, especially the company I work for, invest a lot of time and money nurturing new talent giving them the very best foundations to progress within the industry.

Marija Ambrasaite

Architectural assistant, Aedas RHWL

Q Has the year since you started in construction lived up to expectations?

A My year in construction has certainly lived up to my expectations. From the very beginning I received much more responsibility than I expected and although at first it seemed daunting, my experience was invaluable.

Q What鈥檚 your view on the government appearing to backtrack on green built environment policies?

A I think it is disappointing that the UK government appears to be backtracking on the sustainable agenda, just as Barack Obama and the USA want to lead the way in the developed world. However, I am very happy that the government has finally started looking at alternative energy sources. I believe that sustainable energy is the base for the sustainable lifestyle. For example, we can choose to drive electric cars, but if electricity is gained in a non-green way, it is an unsustainable way to travel. As half of the energy is used by buildings, we as professionals should push that even further.

Q Will you get a summer holiday 鈥� if so, where?

A Although I have been working through the summer, I had a chance to visit Copenhagen. Seeing people swimming in the harbour located right in the city centre, and traffic jams of bikes rather than cars made me think London should catch up with regards to suitable urbanism.

Emma-Kate Ryan

Graduate quantity surveyor, Faithful+Gould

Q What has been the biggest challenge you鈥檝e faced in your job?

A The learning curve involved in preparing high-level strategic estimates really challenges me, as the technology and engineering aspects of work on rail and infrastructure projects are unfamiliar to me at times.

Q Do you think the industry encourages and nurtures new talent?

A I think in certain sectors it does; I am very lucky to work in the consultancy arena where I feel this encouragement is more widespread. I have met several industry leaders who have taken an interest in my views and advised me on my career path 鈥� it is reassuring to have input from those who have excelled in their own careers.

Sam McGuire

Assistant cost manager, Turner & Townsend

Q Has the year since you started in construction lived up to expectations?

A Most definitely, every day has a new challenge and I am enjoying getting involved and overcoming technical issues we face daily. It has been an enjoyable year so far and I look forward to the challenges ahead.

Q Have you achieved what you said you wanted to in the time?

A Yes, fortunately I have had the opportunity to get involved in several different types of project 鈥� large and small-scale. Managing the smaller value projects alone has been a good experience, being able to run my own project has been a good challenge and helps support my APC. Having become increasingly more involved in the larger-scale projects has allowed me to experience different types of challenges and ways of overcoming these challenges in a timely manner.

Q What has been the biggest challenge you鈥檝e faced in your job?

A Getting to grips with the different suites of contract. Having procured and managed a live project it is crucial to know the contract inside out!

Jack Carroll

Graduate structural engineer, Atkins

Q Has the year lived up to your expectations?

A Definitely. It has been fast-paced, challenging and ultimately rewarding to see my designs become a physical reality. I鈥檝e really enjoyed working in a big team and getting chances to get out on site and see real progress.

Q What has been the biggest challenge in your job?

A The huge learning curve from the theoretical knowledge learnt at university to real-world engineering design.

Q What鈥檚 your view on the government appearing to backtrack on green built environment policies?

A It is a very short-sighted view that is an unfortunate by-product of our political system. It really undermines those looking to innovate in the industry. With creative thinking and the right incentives I believe many of the targets, particularly in the housing sector, could have been met.