Practice offers a structured process of education and development
Education and training is a truly valued process at international multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy Buro Happold. The practice plays an important role in the education of undergraduate engineers, with many members of staff actively contributing to this training by lecturing and tutoring at universities.
Buro Happold also offers a challenging and stimulating working environment as well as ongoing support for personal and professional development, with an emphasis on the care and planning of people’s careers. Employees are encouraged to work in different offices to broaden their experience and to explore other disciplines as well as developing their own.
Graduates can benefit from a structured process of development beginning at their appointment, through a detailed five-year training programme which leads to professional accreditation.
Grad Week
Each year, as an introduction to the world of Buro Happold and its collaborative approach to multi-disciplinary design, new graduates are brought together for a week-long multi-disciplinary design event. Informative and enjoyable, the event is a great chance to meet up with other graduates from across the practice and share experiences.
The 2007 event took place at St Matthew’s Church in Bath. Graduates were divided into groups of 10 and given five days to plan a solution to a scheme for Wansdyke School, which caters for children with learning disabilities. They received advice from senior engineers and architects and presented their final plans to a panel.
Graduate engineer Ben Keen, a member of the structures team in Bath, said: “Grad week was the perfect introduction to Buro Happold; I gained a fantastic insight into what the practice stands for. Not only did it make me feel extremely welcome, but it also demonstrated the benefits of working within a multi-disciplinary environment, allowing me to meet many people who I’d be collaborating with in the future. It was also a great opportunity to have a few beers with new friends!”
Grad +1
Grad +1, another multi-disciplinary design event, reunites those who joined the previous year. Over the course of two days graduates attend various seminars that focus on disciplines besides their own, and work in teams on multi-disciplinary exercises. The event is an ideal opportunity for attendees to renew old acquaintances, make new contacts and share experiences so far.
Mentor Support
Each graduate has a buddy and a mentor, to help ensure that guidance and knowledge is always at hand.
Recent graduate, Sophie Simpson, said: “I enjoy my work at Buro Happold. There’s always something new to do and to learn. I can honestly say that you’re very well looked after as a fresh graduate – right down to being included in the tea and coffee making rounds!
“Yes, there’s a lot to learn and at times it can seem pretty overwhelming, but you’re never on your own: colleagues are very supportive and if they can’t help you they usually know someone who can. Events such as Grad Week allow you to mix with grads from other offices. This, along with other networking and social events, makes Buro Happold a genuinely united company – as opposed to being a number of different offices working independently of each other.”
The education of graduates is therefore a methodical process leading to professional accreditation at the end of a five-year training programme. However, besides this commitment to the development of employees, Buro Happold also recognises the importance of its involvement in the education of undergraduate engineers.
The Happold Trust: promoting education, research and training
Buro Happold has a strong social awareness and in 1995 Ted Happold and the other founding members established the Happold Trust, a registered charity that promotes education, research and training in the fields related to the construction industry, engineering, design, technology and architecture. The Trust operates independently of the practice.
Each year the Trust sponsors a number of final year students from a range of engineering disciplines and other areas related to building and construction. The sponsorship not only provides financial benefit but also the chance to spend eight weeks during the summer in one of Buro Happold’s UK or overseas offices.
Engineering graduate Chris Woodfield received sponsorship from the Happold Trust during his final year at the University of Warwick; consequently Buro Happold was his natural career choice. Chris hit the ground running: his first project was the Wembley Pedway refurbishment, upgrading the pedestrian bridge that leads to the new stadium. Chris said: “I started with a few menial calculations and eventually became the engineer responsible for the complete project. This involved site supervision, client and contractor meetings, approving contract documents and preparing and reviewing method statements.
“Buro Happold is a great company to work for. It’s not the firm for anyone wanting spoon feeding but if you really want to do something then you will get a lot of support. I got a lot of responsibility early on, but the support was always there if I needed it.
“I socialise with other graduates as there are lots of training opportunities and loads of social events as well. This place is full of motivated people who enjoy a challenge.”
Ecobuild
Buro Happold participated in the Ecobuild exhibition at Earl’s Court in February, reflecting its commitment to undergraduate development.
Architecture Today hosted a stand at the event, exhibiting a timber pavilion designed and built by students from the London Metropolitan University. The pavilion utilised materials provided by timber-frame specialists FinnForest and also employed 90-year old recycled studwork in its fabrication.
Crucial to the success of the pavilion was structural assistance provided by Buro Happold specialist timber engineer Yannig Robert, who worked with the students to ensure its structural viability.
Yannig said: “Usually timber frames involve building a wall on top of joists, but in this instance we have a wall on top of a wall, which needed some work to stabilise. I spent a very constructive day with the students.”
Ends
Note to Editors:
Buro Happold
Press Office and practice information at www.burohappold.com
For more information, please contact the Press Office.
Images of the 2007 Grad Week and Yannig’s attendance at the Metropolitan University of London in preparation for the Ecobuild conference are available on request.
Hannah Green
Assistant Press Officer
Tel +44 (0)1225 320627
Email hannah.green@burohappold.com
Buro Happold is a multi-disciplinary international practice of consulting engineers established in 1976. We now employ over 1,700 staff in 21 offices worldwide and our aim is to produce high quality engineering design in concept, in detail and in execution, on time, to programme and delivering excellent value for money. Our distinctive culture and ethos is still based on the same principles of care, value and elegance that were established when the practice was founded.
We offer structural, building services, civil, infrastructure and façade engineering, as well as a broad range of specialist consultancy services including sustainability, ground and environmental engineering, fire and security design, health and safety management, inclusive and urban design, project management, and specialist CAD and computer simulation provision.
