Georgia Elliott is Assistant Planner in construction planning and, as part of her ongoing development she has been learning on the job by most recently spending five weeks working on a comprehensive façade remediation programme for a residential building in Croydon, London – The Exchange.
Progressing from Design Coordinator, Georgia has been shaping her career development by shadowing key individuals within the business to keep her skills sharp.
We chatted to Georgia about her experience on the job, and here she discusses key learnings and outcomes, reflecting on what that means for the future.
Why did you decide to work on the project?
The Exchange provided a valuable opportunity for me to receive on-site training and better understand the job due to the project complexities. There were plenty of people to ask questions and constant conversations that I could get involved in. The experience of being on-site, talking to subcontractors and getting hands on allowed me to further my knowledge in construction.
Can you detail your responsibilities?
Working in Croydon allowed me to shadow a project manager on a live construction site, gain experience on the scaffold, and start to understand the project and its details. I was involved in daily routines and gained insight into the planning, execution and relevant phases. It was great to witness a project manager doing their role and get involved in handling unexpected challenges.
What did you do on the job?
In the five weeks I learnt a lot. Being up on the scaffolding, observing the coordination of subcontractors, and witnessing decision-making in real time gave me a whole new perspective on project management.
I participated in morning walk-arounds to see who was on-site and what their plans were for the day to understand the sequence of works and how details translate from paper to real life.
From the second week, I began going up on the scaffold with printed drawings and comparing them to real-life details to understand the elevations and identify any discrepancies.
Alongside Cris, I kept the site safe by eliminating hazards and keeping walkways clear, gaining a solid understanding of health and safety.
Attending every meeting with Cris gave me valuable insight into how he communicated with subcontractors to keep things on track. I also saw first-hand how he approached problem-solving on-site.
What did you take away from the experience?
Now that I have completed five weeks in Croydon and I’m back home, I feel proud of myself for going and taking it all in. The first week was quite daunting as it was a new environment, but it was exciting to be there and have more involvement with the job.
Being on-site highlighted the importance of communication and safety. Overall, it was a great experience and beneficial to learn on the go.
What would you do differently next time?
The experience allowed me to meet the staff, subcontractors, and other visitors attending the site. All these people were able to support and help build my knowledge.
The main positive of working on this project was my personal growth. Going to Croydon pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped develop other skills, such as communication and time management.
Next time, I would work more with Antony when Cris had tasks to attend to.
How does learning at work compare to formal education for you?
Learning at work is very hands-on and allows you to apply the new skills and knowledge immediately. Learning with Urbanise, I’m able to acquire skills and participate in specific training required for the job, unlike formal education which I could forget by the time I need to apply it. Learning at work is an ongoing process, so I’m constantly developing my skills.