Understanding Infrastructure and Cost Management

Working with the infrastructure team helped me understand how large projects are organized and delivered. I saw how teams plan, manage timelines, and make sure everything runs smoothly. In cost management, I learned how teams keep track of spending and make sure projects stay within budget. For example, I looked at variation logs, which are used to record any changes to the project and how they affect the cost. This showed me how important it is to carefully manage money while still delivering a high-quality result on time.

Project Management – A Defining Experience

The highlight of my week was gaining insight into project management, especially during a visit to the Standard Chartered Bank office fit-out project. This gave me a real understanding of how project managers oversee day-to-day progress and keep everything on track.

One moment that stood out was when the team dealt with an issue involving a glass door. It showed me how decisions are made by thinking about time, cost, and how it might affect the client. It also made me realise how important communication and quick problem-solving are in this role.

This experience confirmed my interest in pursuing a career in project management, particularly within infrastructure, where projects have a clear and lasting impact.

Supportive Environment and Learning Experience

One of the best parts of my time at Gleeds was how welcoming and supportive everyone was. People were always willing to answer questions and explain things, which made it much easier to learn and feel part of the team.

The support I’ve received through my studies at the University of Westminster has also helped prepare me for opportunities like this. Being able to connect what I’ve learned at university to real-life situations made the experience even more valuable and helped build my confidence.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this experience has given me a much clearer idea of what I want to do in the future. It provided insight that you can’t always get in a classroom and showed me what working in the industry is really like day-to-day.

I’m very grateful for the opportunity and look forward to continuing to develop my skills within the construction and infrastructure sector. 

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Big thanks to Carl-Lawrence Mukasa for sharing his placement experiences at Gleeds! Carl-Lawrence is a 3rd year Construction Management student (Part-Time) at the University of Westminster. A fun fact about him is that he is currently training for his second marathon and had the chance to join the Gleeds run club during his placement.