Find real world jobs you could do to Shape Your World

Levi Elliot

The opportunities I have received through Kier have been endless. I have such a supportive contracts manager who has guided me throughout the process and continually encouraged me to progress. I would recommend the apprenticeship route into Facilities Management to anyone, and if I could offer any advice to someone just entering the industry then it would be that you can never ask too many questions. It shows just how keen you are to learn and fully understand the task ahead.

Becoming a qualified electrician helped broaden my opportunities and I am now an electrical supervisor for the electrical small projects team.

Stacey Botwood

I have been at Kier Living since 2013 where I started as a business administration apprentice and have since progressed to the role of apprentice coordinator.

Most days I visit sites to carry out reviews with our apprentices and make sure they are happy in their roles. This is the part of my job I love the most as no one day is the same, travelling to different sites and meeting different people. Being female, I never thought I would ever be working in the construction industry, but now that I am I can see there are so many different roles and a lot more females coming into the industry at high levels. For example, three of the directors at Kier Living Central are female!

Tony Roscoe

I head up a small team that aims to help improve health and safety behaviour in our business through the application of behavioural and cultural programmes

I love working with people (especially front line staff) in order to help to improve how we as an organisation operate. If we can engage with staff in order to improve how we operate, we start to create a culture of continuous improvement across the business.

Helene Lubineau

My role consists of creating and monitoring the construction and contract programme on sites, currently I am working on two projects in Cambridge. I regularly communicate with the site team regarding the key construction, procurement and design activities. I record and report the progress on site, both  internally and externally. I also adapt the construction programme to optimize or mitigate if there is any changes in the process. I help to look forward and assist the team to plan the next activities.

I love this job as you are involved with and aware of everything regarding the site, communicate with all the subcontractors and every members of your team including the design, procurement, pre-construction and operational teams. As the planning team is generally very small, typically a planner and sometimes an assistant planner, you are a key element on site. As a planner you work closely with the project manager and assist them in order to help deliver the project on time. The planner role gives you a very multidisciplinary approach of the construction phase with programmed targets to reach, which is why I find it enjoyable.

Andrew Freeman

Andrew Staufenbiel

I assist with both the pre-construction and construction teams looking to address associated environmental risks on our projects. This includes; looking at risks within the ground before we even start building and helping sites to understand and manage risks throughout the construction phase (protecting & enhancing ecology/wildlife, waste management, etc). I travel across all of our offices and construction sites, providing ongoing support and visibility and I particularly enjoy managing the wide range of changing issues we face and the varied people I work with.

I have a strong interest in people and the environment, and believe that the construction industry has a huge part to play in protecting and enhancing the environment in which we all live.

Rhys Edwards

As a Finance Graduate, I am really allowed to thrive and improve as a young professional, both inside and outside of the role, which is what attracted me to the scheme the most. I’ve been part of the Mobile Management Accounts team for 3 months now and have been given responsibility and freedom to perform my role from day 1. Right now I am in control of the month-end accounting for a type of mobile phone contract we offer, and have been given the chance to really make the process my own. Away from this I have been busy allocating different costs to their relevant cost centres, creating balance sheets, and preparing a £50 million pound journal.

Another great part of the finance graduate scheme is that you get to experience a real social aspect to work. I’m 1 of 13 Virgin Media and Liberty Global graduates in my office, with many more spread across the country and Europe. The company encourage us all to mingle, and I’ve already had the chance to go to graduate events in Manchester, London, and Amsterdam. With all this happening so far, I’m really looking forward to seeing what the next 9 months bring, and beyond that the next 2 rotations on offer.

Sharon Mitchell

My role involves working on business Improvement across the Property division. This means managing all elements of marketing, media, PR, business development, customer engagement, cross-selling, award submissions. I engaging with the rest of the Kier Property team and the wider Kier Group business to generate opportunities.

My role is varied and rewarding. My role has changed over the years in terms of divisions, strategy and project delivery. I have managed and interacted with a number of different teams over the years to encourage forward thinking, working towards a common goal of improved working, working collaboratively and enthusiastically.

Mica Latouche

I assist the development team in the evaluation and acquisition of sites. I also appraise and manage opportunities including the management of the development appraisal system throughout the bidding process. I regularly attend site for inspections and for site progress meetings with Project Managers and Development Managers.

I love my work because it is challenging, lucrative and it’s great to see final results of my work, particularly when every project is different. Additionally there are lots of networking opportunities to engage with other organisations.

Brandon Wood

I’m 18 years old and have been working with Kier for six months. I’m currently working on the Bitterne Park School project in Southampton as a site team apprentice. My role on this project is assisting the site management team in delivering the build.

My favourite part of the job is getting to meet all the different people involved in a project and seeing how they play a part in the construction work, as well as the planning that goes with it. I really enjoy being part of the construction team, learning from my colleagues and getting to experience different stages of the project.

Craig Garood

Construction contracts managers oversee projects from the start through to completion, ensuring that work is completed on time and within its budget. A contracts manager is sometimes in charge of a single scheme, or may look after several smaller ones.

Every day is different and every project is unique.Which means that I am actively problem solving and being creative.

Joanne Concesso

My role as an Assistant Estimator is varied. It includes helping the Estimator put a cost together for a current project we are bidding for .It involves checking drawings, sending out enquiries for prices, comparing the prices when they come back and generally helping to get the job priced.

I enjoy it because even though some projects may be similar, there are always different aspects to the projects that we are pricing, which makes it really interesting. When we are successful with winning a project, its really great to visit the site and watch the project being built, and see it come alive. Very satisfying!

Chris Saunders

I’m always looking for a better way; that could be how we deploy our network in the ground or the way our architecture is located, and its functionality distributed between the different elements.

Though I have a technical background and studied Engineering, I can’t be a specialist in all fields, so knowing who to go to for expert advice and building relationships with people is very important; there are lots of things to consider, so being organised is also vital to avoid overlooking something.
It is a creative role, so I love asking ‘what if?’ and ‘how will that affect what we are doing now?’, anticipating outcomes and modelling ideas before taking them to the wider team, to see if the results are as anticipated, and we get the competitive edge or avoid a problem we foresaw.

Jacob Austin

I’m currently managing the budget for a £18 million new hospital for children, young adults and families with mental health problems. The job involves buying packages of work from local tradespeople and valuing their work as they complete it, paying them for their work, and charging the client for what has been completed. It involves use of maths skills, and practical knowledge of building.

In my role no two days are the same as the work on site continually changes and brings new challenges. I get to see how everything is done and to meet lots of different people. I’m not stuck in an office all day every day and it’s great to be challenged.

Ian Brumskill

I joined Kier as an apprentice when I was 20 and I’ve been working on our project to redevelop Chester Theatre since February 2016.

My main responsibilities on site consist of supervising subcontractors on site, making sure the work is on schedule, and making sure all required materials are available when needed.  I also carry out quality assurance on the project and carry out site inductions for visitors. I supervise a number of site tours every week in addition to walking round with my mentors to identify which jobs need to be completed. Kier has invested a lot of time in helping me develop and I’m extremely appreciative of that.

Philip Lavelle

I manage a whole team of people to ensure that a major construction project is delivered safely, in budget on time and walk away with a very satisfied customer. My job gives me autonomy and the freedom to innovate and look at new ways of doing things. The people are the most important thing on any project and successful teams are not created by accident they require a plan and a strategy.

I love my role because of the autonomy it gives me to in effect run my own business and gives me variety as no two days are ever the same. I enjoy good communication with all my team and like the fact that at the end of each day I can actually see what has been achieved.

Rachel Lindsey

I recruit for the Kier Highways business, filling vacancies across the UK. To recruit I use a number of methods including advertising, head hunting and following up referrals. LinkedIn and job boards play a huge part in my job, along with regularly speaking with candidates, hiring managers and recruitment agencies.

I enjoy the fast paced aspect of recruitment and working on a variety of different vacancies at any one time. I find the job satisfying, knowing that I have helped source new talent for the business, as well as finding the right career opportunity for a candidate.

Jamie Daniels

I look after Kier’s fleet vehicles on our TOR2 contract. From inspections, to services, to repairs; there’s not much I don’t do! I’ve always loved cars and I’d like to run the garage one day. My apprenticeship is helping me on my way to accomplishing this; I’ve already achieved my level two light vehicles and levels two and three heavy goods vehicles qualifications.

I’m well looked after – my team is a great bunch and Kier’s a good company to work for. I know an apprenticeship can seem scary, but everyone has been really helpful. The friendly environment has really brought me out of my shell, which has helped me in life as well as work.

Terri Baker

My role involves preparing tender documents to a high standard, co-ordinating with the Framework/Bid Manager and wider design team. Co-ordinating and managing KPIs across all Kier offices for a major client, providing training and guidance and being a main point of contact. Writing, creating and editing documents for internal and external use, including marketing brochures, newsletters, presentations and case studies.

I enjoy my role as not only do I love writing and editing, but I also love learning new things and every week I am given new opportunities to learn.

Stewart Croft

I started working at Kier as an apprentice after I left St Francis Xavier School. I’m finding my apprenticeship really interesting and varied and a typical day for me usually consists of carrying out site inductions, attending progress review meetings with subcontractors and liaising with clients about the scheme’s management.

I also spend time working with other members of the project team to understand the various roles required to deliver projects. There’s a lot of competition for apprenticeship places but if you work hard and secure one you can learn so much.  I try to take in as much knowledge from the people around me as I can as each day is different within construction.