Construction Manager - Callum White

Callum White

Why did you choose this career?
I left school at 15 to work as a gamekeeper before training to become a stonemason. I gained an ONC and got the chance to compete in the Scottish Stonemasonry competition. Whilst working as a stonemason, I was advised to apply to university. I completed my masters degree in Construction Project Management and went to work for HBG on their structured management programme.

What do you do day-to-day?
I worked my way up from Graduate to Assistant Site Manager within 4½ years. I am now a Senior Manager with Mace Group with joint responsibility for setting up sites and managing them as Construction Project Manager.  One of the largest jobs I have worked on was the Royal Bank of Scotland World Headquarters.

What advice would you give a prospective student?
Put yourself in a position to gain as much experience as possible. Ensure you get a good grounding at college, make the most of it and take all the opportunities you are offered.

What do you enjoy about the industry?
Every day is different; new challenges are constantly thrown at you, some of which are foreseeable, some not, but it is all about the camaraderie and the buzz that comes from that – you lean on each other to get through the tough times and get the job done – team work is crucial. 

Good bits about your job?
Setting jobs up is definitely one of the areas I enjoy most as it means I can plan my own environment. I am constantly learning new skills and techniques which offer a real opportunity for personal development.

Plans for the future?
I would love to get the opportunity to work in bigger projects as they offer a whole new challenge – possibly in Dubai where world class projects are being constructed.