Vanessa Quansah

We asked Vanessa…

I would recommend a career in civil or infrastructure engineering because…

It's incredible to have a job where you can see a tangible output. To know that you have a hand in the built environment around you, that it's your legacy.

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

A dancer. I love doing aerial fitness and have done a few performances, too, which I love!

Name one civil engineering myth you’d like to bust.

That you need to have exceptional maths skills. It's a tool but not the central focus. Critical thinking, problem solving and communication are equally important. And as for the maths, that can certainly develop over time.

How does your role contribute to addressing climate change?

Construction contributes massively to carbon emissions.

As part of my role, I look at designs that use permanent works or propose construction sequences that minimise the use of temporary works. 

How does your role contribute to making the industry more diverse and inclusive?

Since taking the lead in the engineering department, I’ve implemented measures to address the gender disparity in the industry.

I also provide measures to support women once they’re in the industry.

My team is diverse, and made up of more than 50% women. 

I have promoted one of them to principal engineer as well as put them on courses to enable them to further develop their skills.

Aside from this, I actively and regularly attend schools to engage young students from diverse backgrounds and let them know about careers in construction.

What role does digital technology play in your job?

A very vital role, especially in the drive for more efficient and sustainable designs and improved safety in construction. 

BIM is able to integrate temporary and permanent structures for early clash detection and collaborative workflows. Digital twins and models have improved accuracy.

AI and VR are improving safety onsite with digital documentation such as QR codes on scaffolding enabling instant access to guides and sign offs, etc.

There are definitely still challenges and more that can be done with AI, but it’s growing and this is an exciting time for it.

What motivated you to become professionally qualified? 

I thought it would be a good stamp of approval to get chartered, as it means I get recognised within the industry as a competent and qualified engineer.

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

Working towards the attributes drove me to improve elements that didn't come naturally to me, and I'm now a more well-rounded engineer.

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

With the ICE, I really enjoyed having the range and variety of events to contribute to my CPD. My employer supported me with my development goals towards chartership.