Steve Long

Steve Long
JOB Senior cost engineer
EMPLOYER KBR
DEGREE BSc construction management and surveying (1994)
UNIVERSITY University of Reading

I am a lead estimator for the energy and chemicals division based in Leatherhead, Surrey. I produce manhour estimates of engineering costs to put forward bids to our clients. This often involves collating large amounts of information quickly and maintaining attention to detail to deliver an accurate estimate. I then present this estimate to the senior management team for approval.

Previous roles

My first job was as a quantity surveyor in London. I then spent two years in Hong Kong working on power station projects before working on the Bangkok Wastewater Project. I became involved in a bid for an oil and gas project and returned to the UK to work as a senior cost engineer involved in man-hour cost reporting and forecasting. I then took a position as a commercial manager in Houston followed by a similar position in Dubai. Finally I returned to the UK to take up my current position as senior cost engineer.

Most exciting project

It is difficult to pinpoint a single project. For me, the opportunity to work overseas in a variety of interesting places has been amazing. Living and working abroad is very different to going on holiday for two weeks. The new cultures and alternative ways of working provide an excellent opportunity for self-development.

The highs

I enjoy having responsibility for important tasks and reporting to senior management knowing that my opinion is valued.

The lows

It is harder to work abroad now that I have a family so I would advise graduates to make to most of all opportunities when they start.