Claudine Reece

I previously worked in a co-ordination role for Transport for London, where I was involved with the Go-Live and subsequent operations of the Central London Congestion Charging Scheme.

I was looking to move into a pure project management role. Although I was experienced in managing projects and have a PRINCE 2 qualification, I was concerned that Balfour Beatty might see my lack of construction or rail experience as a problem. So I was delighted when I was offered the job and given the opportunity to transfer my skills into these industries.

I was also impressed by the worldwide reputation of Balfour Beatty, and the aims of BBM. I wanted to work for a company that had big growth plans and was putting itself forward for lots of projects – not restricting itself to a particular sector.

The chance to work with real industry experts and the quality of on-the-job training that results from that environment. I’m already working on a project, and find the team very supportive; my managers, in particular, have offered lots of guidance and expertise.

I enjoy working with my team. I was initially nervous that my lack of industry knowledge may prove difficult, but I was very upfront about this and my team has a healthy respect for my project management skills; conversely, I’m not afraid to ask them questions about technical issues. The result of this is that I feel in control of what I’m doing and there are good levels of interaction throughout the project team.

I was pleased that I was put on a project straight away. My biggest challenge is the steep learning curve to understand the technical issues behind rail maintenance. However I’m really surprised at how much I’ve learnt in my first 3 months.

More relaxed than I thought. I had slight concerns about preconceptions of the construction industry – lots of testosterone, football talk, cups of tea, and so on. But at Balfour Beatty Management this couldn’t be further from the truth. My team are friendly, respectful and supportive. There are a lot of different characters, but everyone takes an extremely professional approach to their work.

There are so many opportunities. You will meet lots of interesting people and work on some great projects. BBM will give you all the support to do your job well, but also the space to create success in the way you choose.