“Do something you love, don’t feel like you need to stick on the same path” - Louise, Engineering

Louise has followed a fascinatingly diverse career path - her work has taken her from the UK to South East Asia and from engineering sites to business improvement - her career is one which really demonstrates the breadth of opportunities available to engineering graduates.

Here, she shares with us some key insights she has picked up along the way…

What made you choose to study engineering?

I knew early on that I wanted to follow a career in engineering - I knew I wanted to study towards an engineering degree when I chose my GCSE options. I had originally looked at architecture as I liked to create things, I spoke with my uncle (Chief Engineer for a council) and discovered engineering jobs which involved buildings and structures. I was fascinated by how things work - that was the key attraction to my initial interest in engineering.

My uncle helped to develop this interest - he would explain to me how everything worked. I was completely hooked - learning how everything fit together and how it was connected.

Could you talk us through your education and career path?

I undertook a degree in Civil Engineering with Architecture - at the University of Leeds. This mix helped me to understand how engineering fits in to the bigger picture. I went on to build my early career with a range of roles in engineering, including:

• My first jobs involved small projects around housing. I was working for small companies and got involved in a range of areas - including Health & Safety, commercial and other disciplines. I enjoyed the variety and thrived when working with people.

• I project managed a job in Inverness (which was a 7 hour commute from home!).

• Just after the Egan’s Rethinking Construction report, I began working on lean construction work. I was working on one of the first projects in the UK to really implement lean construction - I worked on how to plan better on a complex project at Heathrow airport. The role was about enabling the engineering and the construction to happen. That was where I started to realise that what really drove me… was removing the barriers to help people to do their jobs as best they can. I was able to apply my engineering and construction knowledge to a wider set of skills.

• In my next role, I took on some additional responsibilities - including lessons learned, bid writing, leading learning & development for a building solutions company, this led to me setting up a consultancy business - focused on business improvement and facilitating workshops.

It was after this that I was approached about a role in Macau - to work on a $2.4bn construction mega project as “Superior Performance Manager” - this was the start of my international chapter…

Could you give us an overview of your Macau experience?

I was working as part of an international, multilingual team, there were 67 different nationalities - this included an American client, an Australian construction company and predominantly Chinese project management… there were language barriers and cultural differences to overcome in order to work effectively together.

What were the key challenges?

The cultural differences and communication challenges.

For example, I sent an early email which included metaphors and cultural references… I quickly realised not to do that. I learnt to speak very clearly and to avoid complicating my language. I had to change how I communicated messages. I had to learn to give instructions in a way that made sense to the person receiving it - particularly in a safety critical environment. I had to consider the tone and culture - including being clear as to whether it was a question or an instruction. This helped me be a better communicator.

What would be your advice for anyone working in an international team?

Get the right support - find a mentor who can help you to navigate the cultural differences. Find a way of communicating - listen to people and the way that they talk (including the way they talk and interact with each other) and spend time learning to understand. Check that the meaning of your communication has been understood - ask someone to repeat back to ensure they have understood, don’t just assume.

What were the benefits of having an international team?

Diversity of thinking and different approaches.

I learnt about different approaches to everything from logistics and healthcare - for example, we had an onsite nurse to treat any minor ailments and support with healthcare for people working far away from home. People from different cultures and backgrounds all brought different experience.

Communication is key to better understanding this though - it is important to listen to new ideas and build on these to innovate.

Did speaking English help you to reach an international career?

Yes. We had colleagues from the USA, Australia and many others - the common language to communicate was English.

Can you tell us a bit about what made you switch between career paths in engineering?

After deciding not to follow the traditional engineering route (becoming chartered), I started looking for sideways paths and roles within the wider profession within construction. I got excited by the doors that opened to the side rather than in my direct path. I didn’t know exactly what would be on the other wise of those doors - but I was open to seeing them.

What have been the benefits of your career path?

Variety.

I’ve led a broad career path which has led to an understanding of a wide range of roles and how various roles fit together. This understanding enables me to help disciplines work together and translate between different professions and the board room - communication is key to success in any discipline.

How has the profession evolved? How has technology impacted and changed the profession?

Many of today’s roles would not have been there 20 years ago. Quality language and Business Improvement have completely changed.

Technology has evolving beyond recognition - when I first started out in work… I didn’t have a computer. Now, technology is used daily.

The culture in the UK Construction industry has also changed - the advice that I needed when I started out, is no longer needed as frequently. From flexible working to more diversity, there have been bbig shifts. Being a woman in Engineering was unusual when I started out - this led to alsorts of challenges, from missing out on socialising, to practical issues - for example, there would only be 1 x ladies’ toilet, and it would often be locked or out of use!

The move towards increased diversity has been hugely positive = more diverse teams have led to better diversity of thought.

What career advice would you have for students or professionals?

It is important to do something that motivates you, do something you love, don’t feel like you need to stick on the same path.