Following his recent recognition at Balfour Beatty’s Icon Awards, Frank O’Hare shares with Nadine Buddoo his experience of carving a successful career while supporting the next generation of talent.
What was your route into construction?
I started in the industry at age 17 as an apprentice, working in the land surveying department of a civil engineering consultancy. From there, I moved to a dedicated land surveying company before joining Alfred McAlpine as a setting-out engineer.
Each step gave me invaluable experience in the field, laying the foundations for my current role at Balfour Beatty Vinci – HS2’s main works civils contractor for the West Midlands – in construction management.
What is a typical day in your job?
No two days are the same, but my duties generally involve a mix of site visits, planning, coordination and onsite work.
While I am responsible for the team and managing the work, I certainly don’t do it alone; it’s thanks to my team’s dedication and effort that we achieve our goals. Our fantastic, collaborative approach – including with the client – is essential to our success.
I work closely with our client and our designer partners on planning, scheduling and resource allocation, maintaining open communication to align expectations and address any concerns early.
This collaboration extends to coordinating the timely ordering of equipment and materials, ensuring that every decision reflects the client’s priorities.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
It goes without saying that seeing a project through from start to finish is a great accomplishment, working with various subcontractors, designers and the broader Balfour Beatty Vinci team. There’s a sense of pride in driving past completed structures and being able to tell my grandkids: “Your grandad built that.”
“Guiding and supporting the next generation allows me to share my experience and help them navigate challenges.”
For me, watching young engineers grow in confidence and competence as the project progresses is particularly rewarding, which is why I decided to become a mentor.
Guiding and supporting the next generation allows me to share my experience, help them navigate challenges and foster their development into skilled professionals.
You were recently recognised at Balfour Beatty’s inaugural Icon Awards for your commitment to bringing on early talent. What advice would you give to other construction leaders who want to better support young professionals?
My advice to leaders would be to offer new professionals the chance to shadow experienced team members. They can learn an incredible amount just by observing.
In the past, new apprentices were often expected to figure things out on their own. Today, we recognise the value of a more supportive approach. Gradually increasing responsibility allows them to build confidence and develop their skills at a steady pace, ensuring they feel empowered rather than overwhelmed.
