Building catches up with the class of 2014 to find out if, having made it through their first year, life in construction is all they’d hoped it would be, and how their views on the big issues facing the sector have changed
A year ago, Building assembled its class of 2014, picking out 14 bright, fresh-faced recruits in their first jobs in the industry, to try to get a handle on the attractions and difficulties facing those considering a career in construction.
Our group – seven women, seven men – included four architects, four surveyors, two engineers, two contractors and two housebuilders, representing the breadth of intake of professional talent entering construction at a time when the availability of new recruits has been a central issue facing construction leaders.
In our initial feature last September, the recruits spoke of their hopes of working in a dynamic, high-tech industry where they could feel the pride of leaving a positive mark on the communities in which they were to work.
However, a number also spoke of their fears about entering a sector subject to severe cyclical highs and lows, and which has not traditionally had a strong reputation for employing those outside of the white, male stereotype.
So, one year later, we meet the class of 2014 to see how their views and expectations of the industry have changed, and find out about the experiences and challenges they’ve faced. We also asked their views on how the industry is encouraging and nurturing new talent to tackle the skills gap, and how the government’s recent decisions to axe several green policies have affected the views of their firms and clients towards sustainability.
On the whole, the construction industry has lived up to – and in some cases exceeded – the expectations of our recruits.
Almost all of them talk about receiving more responsibility in their roles than expected, with several working on complex, high-profile infrastructure projects including Crossrail, Gatwick’s north terminal and the new Tottenham Court Road tube station.
The class of 2014 have, however, expressed their disappointment at the number of green policies recently scrapped, with virtually all of them surprised by the government’s decisions to call time on the Green Deal, subsidies for wind and solar farms, and the zero carbom targets for domestic and non-domestic buildings.
One of the recruits says the government’s decision is a “very short-sighted view to take that is unfortunately a by-product of our political system” which undermines innovation in the industry.
Others have called it “disappointing” and “a real shame”, and believe the government should have been accelerating instead of decelerating green legislation.
However, most believe clients are still interested in sustainability, and reducing the whole-life cost of their assets through lower waste and energy usage is still a big selling point, despite the lack of government incentives.
The recruits also say the attitude towards sustainability at the companies they work for hasn’t changed, with most firms still striving to meet their own sustainability objectives. And all of them have been impressed with their firms’ and the industry’s desire to attract and nurture new talent.
A selection of their answers are here, with the full interviews available on the links below.
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’ve really seen it at its best – in terms of projects, clients and social events.
Q Have you achieved what you said you wanted to in the time?
A I have – I’ve completed my university conversion course and am well on my way to becoming chartered. I’ve 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’ve 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’s 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 “green” 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’ve been working on a complex infrastructure project, Tottenham Court Road Station, and I’ve been allowed a hands-on role on the production of construction drawings. I haven’t yet seen anything built that I have worked on but I’m 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’ve 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 – if so, where?
A I would love to say I’m going somewhere ultra exotic like the Caribbean… but unfortunately I’ll be staying in the UK for some time as I’ve 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’s flown by. I thought I’d have things mastered by now but I’ve 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’ve 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 – the support has been overwhelming.
Q What’s 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 – a more environmentally friendly industry.
Q Has the attitude of your firm to sustainability changed at all?
A Honestly, it’s 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 – 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’m recharged, I’m 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’s 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’s 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’s 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 – 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’ve 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 – 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 – 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’ve 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’ve 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’s 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.
The class of 2014
Abigail Watts-Cherry
Job: Part 2 architectural assistant
At: Hawkins Brown, London
Marija Ambrasaite
Job: Part 1 architectural assistant
At: RHWL, London
Emma Taylor
Job: Working in practice towards Part 2
At: Assael, London
Lucrecia Mercedes Bibiloni
Job: Architectural assistant
At: HLM, Plymouth
Emma-Kate Ryan
Job: Graduate quantity surveyor in the QS infrastructure (QSI) team
At: Faithful + Gould
Emily McLoughlin
Job: Graduate mechanical engineer in the building engineering division
At: Aecom, St Albans
Jack Carroll
Job: Graduate structural engineer
At: Atkins, London
Bilaal Ali
Job: Building surveying graduate scheme
At: John Rowan & Partners, London
Jamie McGovern
Job: Assistant quantity surveyor
At: Gleeds, London
Sam McGuire
Job: Assistant cost manager
Company: Turner & Townsend, London
Fergus Ellis
Job: Development assistant in the land and development department
At: Barratt London
Euan Beaddie
Job: Management trainee
At: Willmott Dixon
Joe Eke
Job: Trainee quantity surveyor
At: Balfour Beatty, London office
Sophie Miller
Job: Graduate
At: Redrow, Northampton office
All photographs by Tom Campbell
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