Education and qualifications:
MSc Battlespace Technology, Cranfield University
MSc Construction Management, The University of Birmingham
BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering, The University of Birmingham

Job title:
Account Leader, Defence

Employer:
Arcadis

What/who inspired you to become an engineer? 
My uncle was a civil engineer and I loved the way that he seemed to be able to fix anything, so I decided that I would become a civil engineer.

Please describe your role within the workplace. 
As a Director I lead bids for opportunities in the Defence Public Team at Arcadis. We work collaboratively to improve the quality of life for service personnel and the defence community by giving them access to sustainable and effective infrastructure as part of a wider defence capability.

What is the most challenging aspect of your role? 
In the public sector, we always have to strive for value for money, so we are constantly innovating to leverage more out of our clients to give them the best possible value. As technology advances, we dare to be digital, setting us apart from our peers.

What is the most enjoyable aspect of your role? 
I have always tried to help people in all of my jobs and being a former soldier, it’s brilliant to reconnect to the wider defence family. I enjoy being able to help them by providing sustainable accommodation as part of military capability.

What is the biggest career highlight or achievement you’re most proud of? 
In 2012, as a Royal Engineer Bomb Disposal Officer in Afghanistan, our innovative adversary was emplacing devices, and endangering people. My role was to integrate technology and equipment to save life and limb, for which I was awarded the Worshipful Company of Engineers’ Royal Engineers Operations Engineering Award in 2013.

Why did you choose to become professionally registered? 
Chartership is an accepted and universally understood standard, so achieving this while I was still serving in the Army was incredibly helpful to my resettlement after service, helping both prospective employers and me to understand the value that I could bring to their business. I have achieved EngTech, IEng and CEng registrations.

I would recommend professional registration because…
As a standard for professional recognition and offering a framework for continual personal and professional development, professional registration with the Engineering Council really is peerless. It has given me so many growth opportunities, to learn and to help more and more people.

What career advice would you give to your younger self?
While registration may initially seem daunting, with the right mentor you will be able to break your application into achievable chunks at the right level, allowing you, not only to reflect upon and to demonstrate your professional achievements but also to recognise areas for development for the next stage in your learning journey!

Do you participate in mentoring, volunteering, or membership of other engineering groups?
I mentor and coach a number of people within the business. At Arcadis, we pride ourselves on our people-first approach and coaching is at the forefront of our minds when supporting colleagues to be the best that they can be.