Design Management Trainee - Fred Mills

Name: Fred Mills
Age: 23

Job Title: Graduate Management Trainee (Design)

What attracted you to the industry?

I was really into Lego when I was younger and my interest in Construction just grew from there. I loved Design & Technology at school and followed that through to my A-Levels. When I came to chose my degree subject there was no question that I wanted to go into construction..

What attracted you to your trade?

I enjoyed the problem solving aspects of design and for that reason I pursued a career in Design Management as opposed to Architecture.

What do you like best about your job?

It’s probably joint between seeing my decisions and ideas put into practice and constructed out on site, and handing over completed schools or hospitals to clients who have been crying out for new facilities. The sense of job satisfaction is incredible.

What are your career plans once you have completed training?

I’m hoping to become a fully fledged Design Manager once I’ve finished my 2 year graduate programme, then hopefully progress into Project Management from there.

What would you like to do in the future?

My long term goal is to run my own successful business within the industry. I’ve found that there are few limits to what you can achieve in construction. That said, I still think I’m a few years away from doing that. I’m really enjoying my training at the moment and I think it’s important to walk before you can run.