As part of Armed Forces Week 2023, we spoke to a number of our Armed Forces personnel across Morgan Sindall Construction. In this interview we spoke to Robert Atkinson, head of design for our team in the Southern Home Counties.
Robert served for five years in the military from 1997. During his school years he was a Scout, completed his Duke of Edinburgh award and after speaking to a friend at university who had joined University Officer Training Corps (UOTC). Robert felt that a career in the forces, where he was able to roll around in the mud and continue his love for sailing, whilst getting paid sounded like a good option. He completed his training at Sandhurst and spent time in Germany & Northern Ireland and left the military in order to find a career that enabled him to spend more time with his family.
Like a lot of people Robert, describes his transition into the Construction industry as ‘falling into Construction.’ Robert said, “If you’d have told me at university that I’d be in construction for 20 years I would have laughed. There’s not much awareness of the range of roles available, and it’s not seen to be glamourous. But the industry hasn’t done me any harm and it really does have a lot to offer. Work life balance can be achieved and the conversations of what you’d like in this area are easier to have. For me, a career in construction just seemed more appealing than something like accountancy!”
Robert joined the industry after speaking to a specialist recruiter that worked with people who had left the military. This type of route was beneficial as they understood the transferrable skills set of those leaving the Armed Forces.
Robert worked at Canary Wharf in as a site manager where he focussed on manufacturing led procurement and quality control with a number of European suppliers. He was later offered a role in design management, where his BENg in Yacht Design helped with his ability to interpret complex drawings giving him skills which were ideally suited to the job. During his military career, Robert also completed qualifications with the Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), which included skills in people management and resources – all skills and experience that are utilised in a project team. He also had experience in his previous career in delivering construction projects such as ammunition dumps and field hospitals – thankfully though in construction none of our projects need to be delivered in just two days.
The transition from the military to the construction industry can be interesting at times. In the Armed Forces you’re sort of broken down and re-cast as it were in a new role, everyone knows their place and the context of what that means in the broader organisation - there’s a definite hierarchy. If you had a query you would follow the chain of command. For some, getting used to the flat management structure, where you can approach anyone can be a new thing to get used to. Knowing that someone, regardless of their position in the business is ‘approachable’ can feel quite strange! But there’s a lot of transferrable skills and similarities with the construction industry.
According to Robert, the similarities are: “Thinking on your feet and problem solving is definitely a skill you’ll use, you’ll also be working with a range of stakeholders, using interpersonal communication skills to manage people, site progress, expectations and change.”
During his interview Robert mentioned the phrase ‘Nil Desperandum’ (Never give up). “Those who have had a military career are used to being thrown into the deep end, and it’s this adaptability that really helps you in a career in construction. You can learn the technical elements of working with glass, metal and concrete, but when you have to make decisions quickly that ability to get in there with no fear, learn by doing (even if you haven’t done that task before), is something you’ll utilise on a construction project.”
Like a number of our ex-serving personnel, Robert noted another similarity - the heavy use of acronyms. “In my military career, I once had to ask for list of TLAs, I often forget that other people don’t know what that means, and construction is no different. You will find yourself talking in a whole new set of codes and acronyms and coming from a military environment you’ll have no problem picking it up- just don’t forget that those outside of the industry have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Finally, he noted that one of the similarities between the two sectors is the team camaraderie that you don’t always get in other industries. "When it comes to site or project teams, you’ve been tasked with a job to do, to stay on time and in budget – you’re all pulling in the same direction to get the job done and the teamwork that comes with that (coupled with the banter), is something that’s culturally similar."
Find out more about Armed Forces careers
Robert's interview and others can be found in our Armed Forces booklet. Which also includes some of the advice compiled from our team for Armed Forces personnel seeking roles in the Construction industry.