Senior Technician

Describe your career so far:

I have been a “Senior Technician” in Ardent’s Suffolk (Ipswich) regional office for almost two years now. Since joining Ardent in 2014 as a “Technical Assistant” starting with the most basic knowledge of AutoCAD, I have worked my way up to where I am currently. I must mention that I did not have any industry related knowledge prior to joining the company. However, throughout my time in Ardent, I have been offered a great number of professional development opportunities to enhance my skills and knowledge via academic programmes as well as in house training. As a company that offers multi-disciplinary consultancy, the opportunities I have been given have allowed me to assist the wider Ardent team, working with the company’s Noise, Transport and Infrastructure team whilst heightening my Civil Engineering career. I have recently been elected to be a registered Technician Member of The Institute of Acoustics (Tech.I.O.A.) and my next goal is to uplift my abilities / skills and knowledge to Civil Engineer level.

What makes my job interesting?

Amongst the many, the best aspect for me would be problem solving and being able to see a project come to fruition that you have been a part of.

Who or what has helped shape my career?

Definitely, the company’s support to achieve my academic skills in the professional world and the great amount of day to day support I receive from my colleagues that I work closely with (Steve Burton – Infrastructure, Matt Richmond – Infrastructure, David Howson – Transport, Lee Dursley – Acoustic and Peter Ansell – Infrastructure). We have a wealth of knowledge at the company that makes it a fantastic team to be a part of.

Any top tips or advice you would like to pass on?

The most important thing is to ensure you have a good support network around you from multiple disciplines to broaden your knowledge as much as possible. 

Ensure that you have regular catch ups with your support network to make sure you are keeping on track and in the right direction.

Senior Engineer

Describe your career so far:

I started my career as a Technical Assistant in November 2014 with very little experience in Civil Engineering, but I was keen to learn and am now a qualified Engineer with a BSc Honours degree in Civil Engineering. A large majority of the skills and knowledge that I possess today I have learnt on the job from my colleagues, and I also spent 5 years studying part-time for my degree from Kent University. During my time at Ardent I have spent time working within the different disciplines and have gained invaluable knowledge in Highways, Flood Risk and Infrastructure. My progress has been recognised through a series of promotions, increased responsibilities and exposure to other elements of the job such as Project Management, Site Visits and Design Team Meetings.

What makes my job interesting?

The job is interesting because it is so diverse and there is always something new to learn. It is also very rewarding being able to visit site during/post construction phase to see your designs implemented in real life.

Who or what has helped shape my career?

My colleagues have helped shape my career by passing on invaluable knowledge, making time between jobs to train me on new software and never getting bored of me asking questions!

Any top tips or advice you would like to pass on?

Be confident in your ideas and knowledge, but never be afraid to ask questions as it is the best way to learn.

Engineer

Describe your career so far:

I first joined Ardent as a Technical Assistant in the Transport Team, with very little experience after just coming out of an apprenticeship. With the help of my colleagues, I have gained valuable knowledge over the last five and a half years and have had the opportunity to work towards becoming an Assistant Engineer. As a multi-disciplinary consultancy, I have been able to assist numerous teams to enhance my skills and knowledge.

What makes my job interesting?

Working at Ardent gives me the opportunity to learn every day. No project is the same which allows me to use my current knowledge, as well as experience new things and be challenged on a daily basis.

Who or what has helped shape my career?

Everyone at Ardent has supported me throughout the years in both my education and my day to day work. I have been lucky enough to complete my HND and BSc (Hons) in Civil Engineering while working at Ardent, which I could not have done without the help and support of all of my colleagues. The company is built from many knowledgeable professionals who are always happy to help.

Any top tips or advice you would like to pass on?

Make the most of the colleagues that are there to support you, ask questions and get help when you need it. It is unlikely that you will know the answer to everything but working in a team means you can get the support where needed.

Engineer

Describe your career so far:

After spending 17 + years in a trade that I didn’t enjoy (Accounts), I decided to re-train to become a Civil Engineer, something that had interested me when I left school and never pursued.  During my 4 ½ years studying, I spent just a short period working for Costain (contractor for East Sussex Highways) and even though I gained valuable knowledge, I realised that an admin role within the Civil Industry was not for me and the Civil Designing was where my passion was.  I was lucky enough to be offered a job at Ardent before my degree was completed and the support and guidance I have received was invaluable to my study and assisted in me achieving a first-class BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering degree. 

In the time I have been working at Ardent I have progressed from Technical Assistant, to Technician, to Assistant Engineer and I hope to continue to grow with Ardent for many years to come.

What makes my job interesting?

Every day is different. I am presented with Engineering tasks that need solving daily, I enjoy the challenge.

Who or what has helped shape my career?

I am very grateful to David Milligan for giving me the opportunity to work at Ardent to gain experience and knowledge first hand.  With his support,  he gave me the confidence to take on tasks and broaden my knowledge and develop over the 4 years I worked for him. I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor/leader to guide me to where I am today.

More recently, David Patterson has motivated me to take on more tasks out of my comfort zone to extend my expertise further. 

Any top tips or advice you would like to pass on?

If you have a passion to want to achieve something you think is out of your reach and are willing to put the work in, nothing can stop you!

Graduate Transport Planner

Describe your career so far:

I have been working at Ardent as a Graduate Transport Planner for 10 months and I have enjoyed learning everyday and working on lots of interesting projects. A large majority of the skills and knowledge that I have today I have learnt from my colleagues. This includes using AutoCAD for drawings such as access designs, writing Transport related planning reports and analysing data.

What makes my job interesting?

My job is really interesting as every day is different and there is always something new to learn. Every project and task is unique, with different guidance to follow depending on its location. It is also very rewarding being able to visit the site before and post construction to see your designs implemented in real life.

Who or what has helped shape my career?

My colleagues have helped shaped my career and grow my knowledge every day. They take time between jobs to train my on new software and always approachable when I have a question.

Any top tips or advice you would like to pass on?

Always ask your colleagues for advice and get the help when you need it, working within a team means you get the support when you need it to help each other grow. Research the area you are working on with regards to their guidance and nearby planning applications to get a good understanding on the project you are working on.