Giorgos Katsimpras

We asked Giorgos…

What about being a civil engineer gets you out of bed each morning?

That when you find your role, you feel useful, helpful, and genuinely needed.

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

That you can allow yourself to be vulnerable and that you don’t need a specific expertise to be useful.

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

As I'm a big football fan, I would've loved to be involved in the construction of a football stadium, either of AEK Athens FC or Liverpool FC.

Complete this phrase: I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also …

An explorer!

What motivated you to become professionally qualified? 

What motivated me to engage with the ICE is its the high level of recognition it gets.

I also believe that the structure of the chartership route helps you discover aspects of your character, explore different areas of the profession, and avoid being one-dimensional.

Most importantly, for me, it fosters collaboration, effective communication, and the confidence to express your opinions without hesitation.

What does being professionally qualified with the ICE mean for your career?  

Being a chartered member gives me confidence and prestige. It helps me pursue roles at that chartered level.

It also enables me to potentially achieve the same title in my home country, Greece.

What’s the best thing about being professionally qualified with the ICE? 

The best thing about being a Chartered Engineer is the opportunity to mentor other colleagues, help them progress in their careers, and share your knowledge and experience with them.

How did the ICE and your employer support you to become professionally qualified? 

To pass my chartership review, I submitted it four times.

My employer never refused to cover the cost of any reviews and ensured that I didn’t have to pay for anything myself.

Whenever I needed to attend a seminar, they covered all my expenses, including accommodation, travel, and the ICE fees.

The ICE helped to evaluate my progress and assisted me whenever I had a question.

How has being a member helped your career? 

It has helped me by allowing me to connect with younger students.

I’ve been part of various groups that have enabled me to network with other engineers, explore the profession together, and organise charitable causes. 

These experiences are valuable because you meet people in the industry, communicate with them, exchange interests, and, most importantly, help young professionals develop.

Additionally, the numerous seminars organised by the ICE within and outside the UK are appealing.

Anything else?

I like to play tennis, basketball and go to the gym. I enjoy movies and TV series, escape rooms, boardgames and virtual reality.

I also like to attend music events around Europe and travel at least once per year outside of Europe.