Christine Morrison

Name: Christine Morrison
Job: Assistant engineer
Area of work: Buildings
Employer: Vinci Construction UK Ltd
Qualifications: MEng civil engineering, University of Edinburgh

I’ve always been curious about how things are put together, and my strengths are in maths and physics. My employer sponsored me through university and I did several summer placements, including a new superstore redevelopment, a multistorey residential development and highway bridge maintenance. My placements gave me an insight into different areas of construction, and helped me choose what to do when I graduated.

Sticking to schedule

I’m a site engineer at St Helen’s Hospital on a £75 million project to build a new diagnostic and treatment centre for the region. I focus on subcontractor management. The internal phase of a job can involve dozens of simultaneous works; it’s my job to programme and co-ordinate the works to deliver the job safely, on time and on budget. I’ve worked on many different internal packages –such as internal partitioning, floor screeding, pre-fabricated bathroom pods, and fire and acoustic sealing – each with its own challenges.

From the foundations up

I started this job just six weeks into the construction programme, so I’ve had the opportunity to see the building progress from the foundations up. I like being a site engineer because I enjoy hands-on work – it never gets dull! I’m looking forward to seeing the finished hospital and it makes me proud to say that I played a part in its construction.