The road from blackpool pier

I doubt many people associate the seaside town of Blackpool with inspiring feats of the building world. But I was born and raised there and I put my interest in buildings, and my fascination with tall structures in particular, down to that. From an early age I was far more interested in Blackpool Tower – what it was made of, how it stood up, what it stands on – than the illuminations, donkey rides or amusement arcades.

I'm equipped with a mathematical brain rather than an artistic one, so I took Maths and Physics at A-level. I knew I wanted to go into construction so I spent four years studying for a civil engineering degree at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). When I graduated in 2005 with an MEng degree, there were many career paths open to me. But I was destined to choose a career involving structures – the prospect of seeing my ideas take shape physically on site filled me with a great sense of anticipation.

When I started work at WSP's Manchester office in September 2005 I didn't know what to expect, what role I would play in the design process, or the scale of the projects I'd be working on. My first task on my first day was to help with the design of a 22-storey block of luxury apartments. I had to work out the loads on different columns and work out how thick to make them. Since then, I've been involved in the design of all sorts of buildings, from a link bridge at Manchester airport, to an elderly persons' retirement home.

Having been in work for 18 months now I feel as if I am at least part way down a career path. One of the great things I've discovered is the more experience I gain, the more opportunities open up. I'm very lucky to be already working on some pretty big projects – Manchester airport, towers in Glasgow – and in future, I could travel all over the world to work in WSP's other offices, such as in New York, Dubai or Stockholm. I can honestly say that my experiences and choices so far have surpassed all of my expectations; the hard part is deciding which path to take next.

Aaron Wall, WSP Group

Topics

Careers guide April 2007