Oakham day out

 

Seven months into my new role, and no two days look the same. It’s been a full and varied week already. And it’s only Tuesday.  Today took me out to a WRC, boots on, brain switched fully into process mode, exploring an innovative treatment technology with the potential to shape the future capital schemes I deliver and protect the environment. That site visit  was sandwiched between working from home in the morning To a Teams meeting Working remotely in the afternoon.

My seven months to date has been a period defined by momentum and collaboration. I’ve had the privilege of receiving feedback from a multidisciplinary team spanning operations, science, and asset planning. One comment stayed with me: that the depth of knowledge demonstrated on the site and the different technologies were clearly appreciated, and every question was met with clarity and depth. That balance  of technical rigour without losing the audience is something I’ve worked hard to refine.

But none of this happens in isolation. This journey has been built on teamwork: learning from experienced peers across engineering, construction, and project management, while also mentoring emerging professionals working towards chartership myself. Knowledge flows both ways, Making each day full and varied - and is where real progress happens.

Technically, it’s been about applying established skills in new ways. Delivering £45 million of nitrate and phosphorus removal schemes has allowed me to draw on everything from previous AMP cycles to my PhD in wastewater engineering, while continuing to evolve how I think about strategic investment and practical delivery.

Along the way, I’ve been proud to be nominated, alongside colleagues, for an “Always Exploring” values award  - recognition of Everyone in the team bringing their individual skills to the table as much as it is of individual contribution.

Leadership has also stood out. Not just in direction-setting, but in creating an environment where people can do their best work. Being part of that culture is something I value deeply.

The work itself has taken me across a diverse range of sites, from 7 l/s to 300 l/s, each one demanding a different solution. Balancing drivers like growth, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, while integrating with wider programmes such as spill reduction and infrastructure schemes, is where an engineer can showcase all of the competencies that are the mark of a charted engineer.

Threaded through it all are the principles that matter:
– Designing for safe construction, operation, and maintenance from the outset
– Driving carbon reduction and advocating for nature-based solutions
– Embedding biodiversity enhancement from day one

Seven months in, and it feels like standing in a fast-moving current -  complex, energising, and full of possibility.

How’s your week going?

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