Career background and journey at VVB

I started at VVB in 2014 as a tunnelling electrician on the Bond Street station upgrade, which was a very rewarding project. I was able to complete the 2391 Inspection and Testing accreditation, as well as a two-year Siemens PLC Programming course and starting on HNC Electrical Engineering and Instrumentation.

From 2017-20, I worked on the Thames Tideway tunnelling project in a supervisory role looking after the tunnelling gangs, including overseeing and coordinating TBM and secondary lining works, creating reports and making sure works were carried out safely. By this time, I had almost completed a HND which allowed me to start my degree in Electrical Engineering.

From 2021, I returned to VVB as a project manager, looking after all the projects in the tunnelling sector, ensuring adequate productivity, resources, quality and safety. It encompasses a huge variety of works and a sense of achievement finding adequate resolutions to different issues. We receive in-house management training which is hugely beneficial and helps tremendously with parts of the role where I lack experience.

A typical day in the life of an Project Manager

Some days we can be designing M&E installations, and other days finding resolutions to problems or interviewing candidates for new job opportunities. No day is ever the same, which I really enjoy as there are always new challenges.

There are a number of skills required for the job: from communications with current and potential clients, leadership, technical expertise, to helping with issues that may arise on worksites and solving different problems, be they technical or other.

The Bond Street station upgrade has been my favourite project, as it was my first with VVB and we had a tremendous team. It was such a challenging project and the engineering to complete it was amazing. Everyone worked well together and you almost became part of a family as you navigated any problems or issues that arose as a team, never feeling like you were left on your own. I felt that I progressed hugely and taking on added responsibility in a supervisory role capped it off for me.

Why VVB?

Culture to me is how I feel at work on a daily basis or the atmosphere in and around the office or worksite. All the workers at VVB share the same values and high expectations.

We’re able to get involved in charity organisations or events – I was part of one where we climbed mountains for charity. These are all additional rewarding parts of my journey with VVB. Bonding with your co-workers and having a like-minded mentality is extremely important to me, and breeds a fantastic culture in itself.

The work and projects are interesting, challenging and exciting. I’ve also seen the way the company operates through all tiers of the organisation. I feel safe working for VVB as I’ve witnessed the core values being acted upon rather than just stated, and I always feel there are opportunities to develop and improve myself.