Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m 23 and currently live about half an hour away from Newcastle, in Ashington. My main hobby is running; I completed the Great North Run in 2021, and I’ve signed up for the 2023 run – partly spurred on by GT3 colleagues doing it in 2022, and partly because I want to beat my cousin’s time!
Why you’ve enjoyed working with GT3 Architects
Prior to joining PlanBEE and GT3, I had worked in finance and tried the traditional university route, but I always wanted to be in the construction industry learning on the job.
This being my first placement of six, as well as being completely new to the industry, I’ve had a lot of questions. At first, I was nervous to ask for help, but everyone has to start somewhere, and as my confidence has grown, I’ve asked loads of questions and been able to share my own ideas.
What you’ve learned/taken away from your time here
Overall, it has been an enjoyable experience that not many people will be able to say they’ve had. I’ve worked closely with trained & trainee architects who’ve helped develop my technical skills that I’ll be able to carry forward to my next placement.
I’ll also take away my teamwork and communication skills that I developed upon at GT3. It has been difficult working from home due to the office move, but this has highlighted the importance of effectively communicating with colleagues in all work settings.
Describe the range of things you’ve worked on
I’ve primarily worked on RIBA stages 1 & 2, which means a lot of site analysis and playing about with maps (which I love). I’ve also had the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained from real projects to my own work, be it with college assignments or my own personal GT3 project – where I have conducted a feasibility study for a ‘railway town’ in Northumberland, without any factors like budget.
What you are going on to do
My next placement starts in January with ‘Cundall’, who are an MEP Engineering Consultancy. I look forward to applying my knowledge and skills gained at GT3 in this new role and being able to develop my skills further.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I look forward to enjoying the new studio, John Dobson House, in my last few weeks, as well as visiting a couple of GT3 sites prior to the Christmas break and starting my new placement in January.
On a final note, I’d like to thank Simon Baker & Ted Elliot for their support over the last three months, they have both been great mentors for myself and it has been great fun being part of the ‘Crunchy Nut Cluster’.