John Lively

While working as a graduate engineer in the Highways team I was able to use my technical knowledge to assist the Project Manager on a mixture of schemes. These typically included highway link design using standards as set out by the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, as well as rigid pavement design using the Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works, and public realm improvements specifying high end materials.

My skills with AutoCAD enabled me to create tender and construction drawings for issue. In addition, I aided with the submission of bids for significant highways works totalling over £1 million in design fees, during which I developed Works Programmes using Microsoft Project, and Activity Schedules for construction stages 3 and 4.

As a member of the Highways team in the Infrastructure Delivery Service I have been involved with multiple contracts of various values over the past twelve months, ranging from £11 million for the remodelling of Junction 8 of the M62 motorway, to £18, 000 for traffic signal upgrades.

While on the project team undertaking the M62 Junction 8 scheme I was involved in a variety of activities during the latter stages of design and initial construction stages, including responding to queries at public consultations, dissecting and commenting on design drawings, and acting as site support alongside the Clark of works during early earthworks and service diversions.

I have taken on the role of Project Manager in order to procure multiple schemes, successfully delivering works totalling over £470, 000 in value in recent months. One of the principal benefits of having a high turnover rate of projects is that I have been able to gain experience not only in technical design, but also in contract management and practical construction issues. Effective management of time and other resources has also been vital in delivering quality schemes to the satisfaction of clients.

For the sandwich year of my degree I was employed as a placement engineer in this structural engineering consultancy. I was involved in projects from design of structural elements in accordance with Eurocodes, through to pre-construction meetings, and site inspections, and became very competent with software such as AutoCAD.

I also acquired site experience where I learned what to look for when inspecting work, and how to use survey equipment including GPS and Total Stations. By attending various site and office meetings I gained valuable interpersonal skills, which was also aided by being appointed CPD Co-ordinator in the office. For this I was charged with attaining sufficient CPD hours for each employee and keeping track of such training, typically including organising external and in-house events such as BIM webinars.