My on-site work experience with a construction contractor
6.45 am I was assigned to work on the famous Bart’s Hospital in London. I lived at home and commuted by train with a nice early start!
8.00 am On arrival I’d get straight into my safety kit: hard hat, steel-toed boots, safety specs, high-visibility jacket and gloves – the works! I was responsible for my own area of the site and would crack on with health and safety checks.
9.00 am I’d meet with my line manager each morning and he’d set me various tasks. I was left to my own devices as much as possible – if I had any questions I could ask my line manager or anyone on the project team. I also checked the construction programme; certain activities had to happen on certain days to keep the project moving.
10.00 am I was responsible for fire protection, for example the protection of steel beams – I checked the drawings and marked up what beams had to be worked on ready for the contractors. It felt good to have ownership over this and I took pride in my work.
1.00 pm It was easy to make friends – there was one other undergraduate there and the younger people on site would join us for a quick sandwich at lunch. It was good to relax for half an hour before heading back to the hustle and bustle.
2.00 pm My afternoons involved weekly meetings. Their purposes varied, but we’d always have a weekly ‘cluster’ meeting so that everyone in my area could discuss the work and any problems.
3.00 pm After a meeting, I’d go straight back on site for more health and safety surveys and queries from contractors. Being outside all day in winter was hard, but nipping inside for a cup of tea soon made everything better and defrosted my fingers!
5.00 pm I’d finish off my tasks before heading for the train home.
The perks
I enjoyed knowing people were relying on me and I was a valuable team member.
Alex is really looking forward to her next placement: ‘The banter on site made work a good laugh, and being paid helped too! I enjoyed knowing that people were relying on me and I was a valuable team member. Back at university, my studies make far more sense now I can apply theories to what life on site is like.’
Alex’s advice
‘Ignore all of the generalisations about working in construction,’ says Alex. ‘People assumed that I’d be male because of my name – but once I’d arrived, being a woman made no difference!’ She also recommends getting in touch with employers. ‘The HR department at my sponsor has been consistently helpful and it’s great to have industry contacts if I need advice.’
Alex Parsons undertook a six-month placement at Skanska as an undergraduate construction supervisor. She is studying for a BSc in construction and engineering management at Loughborough University (2011).
