Ryan Donoghue

What company do you work for and what do they do?

How did you get into construction?

I took part in a school leaver’s development programme that incorporated day release university studies so I could complete my HNC in Civil Engineering. Once I had completed my HNC, I decided not to take my education any further, but because of the practical experience that I had gained, I was able to secure a job. 

Tell us a bit more about what you do. 

BIM is a process for managing information throughout the lifecycle of a built asset, introduced by the government to make the industry more efficient. I plan, manage and implement this process to meet the deliverables set out by our clients.

My role varies from paper work to virtual reality, I get to deliver presentations and training and I get to meet a range of people from different disciplines and sectors. 

What do you love about your job?

I really enjoy the variety of the job, the BIM process will eventually be similar on all projects, but at the moment, each brings its own challenges with problems that I get to solve daily.

My days are always different, but finding a solution to, or solving, a problem that has been bugging me for ages is always a great feeling. I also enjoy the feeling when you’ve given a good presentation, and as I work in London, it means that I get to be a tourist daily. 

Where do you want your career to take you?

As BIM becomes more integrated in the construction process, I can see that my role will become less technical and more managerial. In the short term, I’d like to move into line management, and then in the longer term I’d like to move into senior management. 

Any advice for someone thinking about a career in construction?

Construction is such a rewarding industry to work in with great opportunities, great earning potential and demand across the globe. The range of roles available is huge so take the time to think about what it is you really like the look of. The range of entry level opportunities has grown since I left school in 2012.

When I was school I had no idea what I wanted to do, but the subjects I enjoyed lent more toward engineering, so that’s what I chose to do. I spent 18 months working as a site engineer before I was offered an opportunity in BIM. Now I’m in a job that I didn’t even know existed, with more responsibilities and opportunities that I even imagined. There are so many opportunities in construction and you will always be rewarded for hard work, regardless of age.