Nick Austin, site manager, Bouygues UK

Qualifications: HNDs building, law, and economics, Luton College of Technology

It was the head office complex for a housing company and when I heard a member of the public say ‘Who owns that building? I want to work in it...’ it was very satisfying. I was responsible for design and budget co-ordination, construction and handover. The designers and I fought to maintain a design that we believed in and the building is a monument to what can be done with a tight budget if you adhere to the principle that anything other than a ‘proper job’ won’t do.

Top tip

Show you are interested, ask questions and you will find how generous people can be with their time.