The management trainee at Willmott Dixon talks about being a Tomorrow’s Leaders champion, working towards chartered status and the importance of building relationships.
What made you choose construction for your career? What else might you have done?
My aspiration was always to become a financial/commercial professional, after work experience for a commodity broking firm in London. But I made the decision to pursue a career in construction after speaking to a number of professionals at the Maidstone School Careers Fair.
In the wake of my first site visit to Canterbury West Station, I was captivated. This prompted the beginning of my career at Willmott Dixon.
You are a Tomorrow’s Leaders (TL) champion – why did you want to take on that role?
Being a TL champion has given me the freedom to network with other professionals, to stay updated with essential industry news and the opportunity to listen to new innovative ideas from a variety of different specialists.
My passion to inspire the next generation into construction has been fuelled by my personal journey, after getting the chance to complete work experience as a student.
What are your career ambitions?
My ambition is to establish myself as a quantity surveyor, working my way to a senior management position. I also want to work towards attaining my chartered status with the CIOB.
My role at Willmott Dixon has given me the freedom to learn different disciplines within the industry with the purpose of making me an all-rounded professional.
I currently have a particular focus on gaining as much site management experience as I can during the early stages of my career – the intention being to make myself a greater asset to my future project teams.
Is there anything you’d like to change about the industry? If so, what and why?
Establishing important relationships is a massive part of any team’s or project’s success. If bigger strides are made to build stronger relationships between supply chain partners and main contractors, I think it would make the industry more effective when meeting quality, health and safety, environmental, programme and commercial targets.
What do you do in your spare time?
My hobbies are golf, boxing, football and going to the gym. Alongside studying a Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours Construction Management degree at the University of Westminster, I enjoy keeping my mind occupied, with stock and shares investing.
