Huw Riley

NAME Huw Riley
JOB Design engineer
AREAS OF WORK Architecture; project management
EMPLOYER Bouygues UK
QUALIFICATIONS BSc project management for construction, University College London (2007)

A competitive start

I was put forward by my university to join the UK team in an international construction competition for students. We went to Paris and put together a project in a hectic 48 hours, competing against teams from universities in France, Singapore and Russia. I encountered a lot of people from the company who were organising the competition and was offered a job with them based on my achievements. I accepted the role as it differed from the work placement I did at a consultancy while at university and because of the international opportunities available.

Seeing a project through

I’m currently working on the Building Schools for the Future Westminster project. I started as a design engineer of Pimlico School, working with the client, the Westminster City Council. I worked on the design development and had to sell the bid to the client.

Get work experience with both a consultancy and contractor before choosing a full-time employer.

As a design engineer, I liaise with architects and other engineers to take the design through to the production stages. I’ve gone from visiting the site twice a week to being based there, and have found spanning the entire project exciting. I thrive on producing good solutions to design problems and, while there’s a lot of paperwork to do, it’s a necessary part of my job.

Choosing the right construction company to work for

When you’re deciding which employer to work for, think about what most interests you. If you want to get close to the work happening on site, try a contractor. If you want to work with clients off site, try a consultant. I would advise sampling both consultancy and contracting to find out what suits you. Any experience is transferable and gives you a better understanding of the construction industry as a whole – so, wherever you end up working, you can’t go wrong with industrial experience!