Dr Katherine Hyde, manager - environment and sustainability, VINCI Construction UK

We were really contributing to the infrastructure as we strove to lessen the amount of environmental pollution in the water. Having recruited Ghanaians to staff the lab we were able to complete a process of knowledge transfer to leave them with the inherent ability to maintain the plant.

Top tip

In construction you get to work amongst experts in their field as part of a team where all stakeholders have a shared interest in a positive outcome. Take the opportunities you find and don’t be constrained by conventional ideas of the sector. There is a great sense of achievement involved in construction-related professions and the opportunity to have a real impact on up-and-coming areas.