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Ashley Best

Ashley Best

Temporary works design engineer, Balfour Beatty

Expertise

Construction, Design, Project management

Location

United Kingdom
My highlights

Became an Incorporated Engineer in December 2013

Achieved MCIHT, a membership for professionals working in highways, in October 2014

Became a Chartered Engineer in February 2019

A day in my life

I ensure all temporary works design and checks are completed in a timely manner for the projects I’m involved with.

This allows the site teams to plan, manage and execute their required temporary works, ensuring the permanent works are completed on time and budget.

I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also  ... a husband and a daddy.

My career inspiration

My best friend, and later on in life my best man, and I discussed taking the same A-level subjects, both with the aim of going into construction.

He’s now a planner and I’m a civil engineer.

We asked Ashley…

What’s one great thing that you love about civil engineering that you didn’t know until you started working in the industry?

Working in a variety of sectors, including road, rail and structures, and the different constraints involved with each.

Which civil engineering myth(s) you would like to bust?

Design engineers and site engineers are the same and they perform the same duties.

Which civil engineering project (past or present) do you wish you’d worked on?

I’d like to work on HS2 in the hope of the route eventually coming up to Yorkshire and into Leeds (where I live).

Would you recommend a career in civil engineering?

It’s a very challenging but extremely rewarding career.

Working on and completing a variety of projects including road, rail and structures, improves the communities within their vicinity and also helps the wider community in terms of investment and employment.

Education

At secondary school I achieved 5 Bs, 6 Cs and 1 D.

At college I achieved Ds in Business Studies and Maths, and an E in Physics.

At Nottingham Trent University I achieved a 2:1 in BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering, and started my career in 2005.

Other qualifications I have include NVQ Level 3 Site Technical Support, NVQ Level 5 Controlling Lifting Operations, Planning Lifts, and City & Guilds Level 2 Working in high-risk, confined spaces.

Hobbies

I’m keen to promote civil engineering within the community and to schools.

In 2017, I participated in the ICE Industrial Mentors scheme, which I found very rewarding, welcoming students to our Leeds office, followed by a site visit to Manhattan Gate Bridge construction, Middlesborough.