Who: Stephen Hughes
Role: Construction Engineer (3 Years)
Where: Leicester Alliance

My day starts at around 7.30 am. That’s when I go out to the site. As a Construction Engineer, it’s up to me to ensure that the set-up is as it should be, which means I have to check everything is in place and ready for work to begin. Sites do vary a lot by location and size, so it’s not as simple as it sounds. For example, the pipe we’re dealing with could be at a very busy site, like under a pavement in a town centre. In that instance, I need to ensure that appropriate signage and barriers are up to prevent the public from getting injured. It’s a big responsibility. Once I’m satisfied that everything’s under control, I go back to the office and begin to work on future plans. That can involve speaking to the public and third parties about inquiries they may have.

Sometimes I go back out to the site during the day. The Team Leader oversees everything in my absence, but it’s ultimately my responsibility to deal with any performance issues and to keep my team motivated. It’s also one of my favourite parts of the job – my team are great and the working atmosphere is very friendly.

I definitely need to think on my feet. Even with the best plan in the world things can change and I have to use my initiative and work around events as they unfold. Yes, at times that means working under pressure because we still have deadlines to meet, but it’s the nature of the job. There isn’t a typical day, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.