Paul Davidson, associate partner (quantity surveyor), EC Harris LLP

My most memorable project: Colomendy Centre for Outdoor Education, North Wales

I have worked on many projects worth over £100mn but this project of £1mn – The Colomendy Centre, which provides residential educational breaks for school children – was one of my most memorable. The works comprised the design and construction of woodland adventure zones, caving complex, climbing towers, zip wires, access paths, boardwalks, landscaping and the formation of a lake. It was the kind of project that quantity surveyors rarely get the opportunity to work on in their careers. The rural construction site was on land belonging to a listed hall, part of which was a historical park and gardens. This meant that the grounds and woodland were ecologically sensitive so we had to plan work around nesting birds, bats, great crested newts and other protected species in their breeding seasons. The project inspired all those involved and as a team we developed very strong working relationships. It’s great to work on something that you know will have a positive impact on children for years to come.

Tips to reach the top in surveying

Ensure that you look for an employer that is large enough to provide you with a wide range of sector and project experience to achieve your professional qualification. Working on a variety of different projects will allow you to make decisions about your career: you can specialise in a certain area of the industry and begin to gain recognition for your work.