黑洞社区

Sophie Campbell 28

When I was younger, I wanted 鈥� to run an ice cream van on Polzeath beach in Cornwall

Today I鈥檓 an 鈥� architect with Sheppard Robson

When Sophie Campbell was a child, she complained that her dad made her 鈥渢raipse around鈥� buildings to satisfy his amateur interest in them. But in the end his enthusiasm rubbed off and she studied architecture at Nottingham university and the Bartlett.

The highlight of her career so far came a few weeks ago, when one of her designs was completed at Cranfield university, Bedford. The university is on an old aircraft base and her contribution was the conversion of a hangar to house offices, laboratories, cafes and auditoriums. It was her first finished project for Sheppard Robson.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an exciting time,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 know the detail of the building and seeing it realised is incredible. It鈥檚 a humbling experience but, at the same time, it really boosts your ego.鈥�

It鈥檚 not all plain sailing, of course. 鈥淚 get frustrated. I want design to be the most important thing in the mind of the client, but there are reasons why that can鈥檛 be the case, 鈥� money, getting things built on time, and the constraints of people鈥檚 agendas.鈥�

She thinks more people would consider a career in construction if they knew how rewarding it can be. 鈥淚f people realise you can put your name to something that you鈥檝e designed, and that you could have an impact on the planet, I think they鈥檇 be inspired. That鈥檚 what really gets me going.鈥�

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

Probably in a bar on the Kings Road and then a club in Mayfair.

Diane Aldcroft 22

When I was younger, I wanted 鈥� to work on the check-outs at Tesco, and that was my first job

Today I鈥檓 a 鈥� management trainee at Persimmon

Diane Aldcroft studied management at Warwick Business School 鈥� construction never seemed like an option. 鈥淲hen I was at school, I wish someone had told me to do something like surveying or commercial property management.鈥� It was only when she did a summer placement at Westbury Homes in her second year that the penny dropped.

She feels lucky to have found her calling, but thinks there should be a bigger effort to introduce young people to the industry. 鈥淵ou need to go to graduate fairs at universities, and in schools you need good careers officers. At school they鈥檇 never point out construction; it was always accounting or medicine.鈥�

Aldcroft is nearing the end of her 12-month programme with Persimmon, during which time she has worked in land buying, surveying, site management, sales and customer care. She hopes to go into land buying, but says a stint on site was more fun than she had expected. One day, she was left alone to take delivery of a timber-frame house. 鈥淲hen I went on to site, I didn鈥檛 know they were going to leave me alone for the day. I felt very proud I鈥檇 managed to do it. I was buzzing that day; I was on a high when I got home.鈥�

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

Meeting friends, going out for dinner then a few drinks, and normally clubbing in Manchester once a month.

Alistair Lloyd 27

When I was younger, I wanted 鈥� to be a lottery winner. Not much has changed, but the National Lottery don鈥檛 do a suitable conversion course

Today I鈥檓 a 鈥� building surveyor/project manager for Tuffin Ferraby Taylor

Like many new surveyors, Alistair Lloyd is a 鈥渘on-cognate鈥�, meaning his degree is in something other than surveying. In fact, in the past eight years, he鈥檚 packed a lot in. He鈥檚 got a first in sports and health studies, become a financial adviser, gone travelling, done a diploma in surveying and got chartered.

鈥淚 chose my degree because I was interested in it,鈥� he says.

鈥淭hen I worked as a financial adviser because it was well-paid and seemed to be a decent enough career. But I found it limiting.鈥�

He got into surveying after hearing his rugby team-mates enthuse about the job, and ended up doing a diploma at the University of the West of England followed by the APC qualification. 鈥淚t was a hell of a lot of work,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut it was a relief to find a career. I like it because it combines the professional with a physical and technical aspect.鈥�

At the moment Lloyd is a development monitor on a 拢15m leisure complex in Eastleigh, Hampshire, but he鈥檚 aiming high. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to head TFT鈥檚 project consultancy team in this country and in Europe. Hopefully, the boss isn鈥檛 reading this.鈥�

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

During the rugby season, I鈥檓 usually out with the boys celebrating a win for Clifton RFC. Otherwise, I鈥檒l be barbecuing something, irrespective of weather, and relaxing at home with my girlfriend.

Ruth Kedar 29

When I was younger, I wanted 鈥� to be an anthropologist

Today I鈥檓 an 鈥� architectural assistant at Feilden Clegg Bradley

Ruth Kedar grew up surrounded by construction work. Her home in Israel expanded as her parents had more children. 鈥淚t was a family project. My dad was a carpenter and, when I was born, there were two bedrooms. By the time we moved out, there were six. There were as many rooms as there were kids.鈥�

Although becoming an architect seemed to be 鈥渁 huge thing鈥�, she went for it. She studied at St Martin鈥檚 and then the Architectural Association, graduating last summer.

Kedar believes it鈥檚 a tough time to join the profession, though. 鈥淚t鈥檚 become more about design and construction, and it鈥檚 more 鈥榦ff the shelf鈥�. I think the role of architect will change. You have to be much more commercially aware.鈥�

She sometimes finds developers frustrating, especially when she did her final-year project in Australia. 鈥淚 was told: 鈥榊ou鈥檙e here to make money, not to make Australia more beautiful.鈥� It鈥檚 a battle to make sure quality and design are high on the agenda,鈥� she says.

Her ambition is simple: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 need to design a large building with a nickname 鈥� I鈥檒l be happy to build a nice house for myself.鈥�

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

Probably out with friends.

Mark Chamberlain 25

When I was younger, I wanted 鈥� to be an RAF or commercial airline pilot. Or maybe an astronaut

Today I鈥檓 an 鈥� graduate trainee, NG Bailey

Mark Chamberlain is a bit of a high-flyer. He studied aerospace engineering at Bristol university and was an officer cadet with the RAF Volunteer Reserve. So why join construction?

鈥淚t was sort of a lifestyle choice. While I鈥檓 not going to have kids in the next two or three years, you have to give a 16-year commitment to the RAF and it does affect everything, and that鈥檚 not what I wanted to end up doing. I looked at being a commercial pilot too, but I didn鈥檛 want to be a weekend father.鈥�

Chamberlain says his aim is to get on to a board of directors. Right now, though, he鈥檚 halfway through a two-year graduate programme with subcontractor NG Bailey. His first year was at Bailey Bristol on the M&E side as an assistant quantity surveyor; he鈥檚 just started with Bailey Teswaine as a project assistant.

It鈥檚 not the RAF, but construction has presented its own lifestyle challenges. When Chamberlain was doing M&E services for a Radisson hotel in St Helier, he had to live in Jersey during the week. 鈥淚t was quite scary but there was quite a lot of camaraderie. I was like a rabbit caught in the headlights for a while, but the guys guided me in the right direction.鈥�

His main frustration in industry infighting. 鈥淚t鈥檚 competitive and I get frustrated with the lack of communication between main contractors and subcontractors. But that鈥檚 starting to get better.鈥�

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

Winter is hockey season, so Saturday nights are generally out with the hockey club. We start in the clubhouse and end up wherever the night takes us. In summer, I鈥檒l be at a barbecue with mates, pool parties or down at the beach in Cornwall. All pretty relaxed.

Tom Wallbank 25

When I was younger, I wanted 鈥� to play for Liverpool FC. Ian Rush was my hero

Today I鈥檓 a 鈥� cost manager, Turner & Townsend

Tom Wallbank has already had a taste of the travel opportunities available to QSs when Turner & Townsend sent him to work at its Amsterdam office for three months 鈥� at very short notice. 鈥淚 was asked on a Tuesday, had to give a decision on the Wednesday and went out on the Sunday.鈥�

The project was a *40m (拢27m) administration building in south Holland for US pharmaceutical giant Amgen, which wanted British building expertise. 鈥淚 was a just a little anxious as I met the MD of our European operations,鈥� he says, 鈥渂ut the team down there was fantastic.鈥�

For the past three years he鈥檚 been back at the Sheffield office. He has spent half that time working on projects for a major supermarket, one of which was on his doorstep 鈥� which took the sting out of any early starts. 鈥淚 could see the site from my house. That was great.鈥�

Wallbank was sponsored by a contractor through his commercial management and quantity surveying course at Loughborough university, but decided he鈥檇 rather work for a consultancy. 鈥淚鈥檇 had my year鈥檚 experience working for a contractor, but the client side appeared to be more professional.

I鈥檇 rather be dealing with people doing the pre-construction part than on a building site.鈥�

But his biggest challenge so far was getting his APC, partly because he was reeling from a great sporting disappointment. 鈥淢y final assessment was the day after the night when Liverpool got beaten in the Champions League 鈥� and I didn鈥檛 sleep well.鈥�

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

I鈥檓 usually out in my home town of Doncaster, either in the bars with my mates or in a restaurant.

Aaron Wall 24

When I was younger, I wanted 鈥� to run and jump into sand. This was followed by train driver, footballer and frontman in a band

Today I鈥檓 a 鈥� graduate structural engineer, WSP

鈥満诙瓷缜鴖 were my pieces of art, not paintings,鈥� says Aaron Wall of his childhood in Blackpool. And it was Blackpool tower that inspired him to get into construction.

Wall did an MEng in civil engineering at Umist. He graduated in July 2005 and joined WSP鈥檚 Manchester office two months later. His biggest project to date was a link bridge for the city airport鈥檚 T1 extension. 鈥淚 saw someone walk across it a few weeks ago, which was a bit scary. But it didn鈥檛 fall down.鈥�

He reckons more young people would go into the industry if they were aware of the opportunities on offer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 never the same old work. My colleagues work in Dubai, Las Vegas and Sweden,鈥� he says. 鈥淧eople from the whole team should go into schools and explain their roles, though this would take some investment.鈥� He also thinks structural engineering should be seen as 鈥渃ool rather than geeky鈥�.

Wall鈥檚 biggest frustration is the relationships between architects, engineers and QSs on a project. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard when there is a conflict and one discipline tries to pass blame on to another. You should work as part of a team. Architects are forever changing things, so you have to adapt.鈥�

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

Either having a meal with my girlfriend, or in my favourite bar, Mojo鈥檚 鈥� probably dancing really badly 鈥� or on a long journey back from watching Arsenal win.

Dong-Liang Yu 27

When I was younger, I wanted 鈥� to be a reporter

Today I鈥檓 a 鈥� senior QS, Northcroft

In Malaysia, says Dong-Liang Yu, 80% of quantity surveyors are female. 鈥淭he girls I know back home have family in construction so it鈥檚 a natural choice. I think women are more meticulous than men; they make good QSs. There are shockingly few female QSs over here. The perception is that it鈥檚 not a very nice job for a girl.鈥�

She grew up in Brunei and did an HND in Malaysia before coming to the UK for her degree at Nottingham Trent. She then spent five years working for Northcroft in Kuala Lumpur, before transferring to Britain last year.

As well as the gender imbalance of the industry, she鈥檚 found UK working practices are 鈥渄rastically different鈥�, too. 鈥淵ou tend to work longer hours of your own accord in Malaysia, but I like being here because there鈥檚 a good balance between work and personal life. It鈥檚 more straightforward design and build in Malaysia. The government here takes a more active role so you have to know what鈥檚 changing.鈥�

Yu鈥檚 ambition is to become an associate director within 10 years, but first she鈥檚 itching to get chartered. 鈥淚 want to do it as soon as possible,鈥� she says, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to stay where I am in my career.鈥�

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

In a restaurant, having a meal with my friends.

Richard Devoy 24

When I was younger, I wanted 鈥� to be a professional footballer. I still dream about that now

Today I鈥檓 a 鈥� graduate manager, Shepherd Construction

The skyscrapers of San Francisco inspired Richard Devoy to go into construction. On a holiday there at the age of 15, 鈥淚 wondered how they stayed up鈥�.

That curiosity eventually led to Loughborough university, where he studied construction engineering management, and then to the graduate scheme at Shepherd. At the moment he鈥檚 working in the QS department but he has always wanted to be a site manager.

鈥淵ou have to follow the projects around the country, and start work at 7.30am, but it鈥檚 much more exciting than being in an office. You鈥檙e responsible for taking what the architect has drawn on paper and making it a reality.鈥�

Devoy is concerned that young people are turned off construction because they think it鈥檚 鈥渄irty, muddy and wet鈥�. To counter that perception, schools should arrange site tours.

He would also like to see a 鈥渮ero tolerance鈥� attitude towards the abuse of health and safety rules. 鈥淧eople take shortcuts to save time and, at the moment, there鈥檚 no continuity about how it鈥檚 dealt with.鈥�

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

Early evening, I鈥檇 be with the rest of my football team at the bar talking about the game. Later on, after popping home to change into my dancing shoes, I鈥檇 be out in town with my mates from school 鈥� most of whom are also in the footy side. We鈥檙e a hugely social group.

Blessing Gwena 26

When I was younger, I wanted 鈥� to be the Karate Kid and chill with Mr Miyagi. I took lessons and practised my 鈥榳ipe on, wipe off鈥� on my mum鈥檚 car

Today I鈥檓 an 鈥� assistant design manager, Kier London

Getting up on time for site work is the most challenging thing about construction for Blessing Gwena. Until a year ago, she was a Portsmouth university student rising at 10am or 11am. Now it鈥檚 more like 5.30am. Ouch. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a shock waking up at such an ungodly hour and adjusting your body clock to being in the real working world,鈥� she says.

Luckily, the friendly atmosphere on site is one of her favourite aspects of the job. She wanted a career where she could work outdoors, rather than being 鈥渟tuck in an office鈥�.

Gwena studied physical engineering but, after talking to lecturers and friends who were studying civil engineering, she decided to switch in preparation for a career in construction.

She graduated in July and started working for Kier London.

Gwena likes the job鈥檚 variety too. 鈥淵ou can work on projects like road improvements or the Channel Tunnel, and you鈥檙e working to solve everyone鈥檚 problems 鈥� like the housing crisis.鈥�

She would like to work on low-energy solutions and later get involved in projects to provide clean running water for developing countries. 鈥淚 think I need to gain as much experience as I possibly can in England, but working abroad would be interesting one day,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 would like to use my skills to give something back to society.鈥�

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

At home, forcing the girls to watch Match of the Day before heading to either the Oh Bar in Camden or to a number of bars on Upper Street, Islington.