Tom Arkley

Which company do you work for and what do they do?

I work for Willmott Dixon Interiors, which is a national construction company specialising in fit-outs and refurbishments. I am currently refurbishing a five-storey office in the City of London. This involves huge demolition packages, new steel work, internal lifts, external cladding and render, and much more. 

What education route did you take from secondary school to where you are today?

From a young age I was labouring on small-scale construction projects in my local area, which sparked my ambition to have a career in construction. For this reason I enrolled on a level 3 BTEC National Diploma in Construction when I finished school. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and it helped me to realise the route into management I was going to take. I finished this course with straight diplomas, which enabled me to progress onto a BSc Honours in Construction Management at Anglia Ruskin University. I am completing this part-time while I work full-time at Willmott Dixon Interiors helping to run construction projects in and around the city centre. 

What is your favourite thing about your job?

As my passion is building, my favourite aspect is the continued learning of different construction methods, on a daily basis, while interacting with a wide variety of people.

What is the highlight of your day?

Where do you want your career to take you?

What would you say to someone thinking about a career in construction?

That a career in construction is not for the faint-hearted, but as long as you enjoy the building process and are hard-working, there is no better place to be. 

Is there anything else you would like to share, which would inspire others to follow their chosen career path?

It is essential that you are genuinely interested in your area of study if you decide to complete your degree on a part-time basis as often you will have to spend your weekends completing university assignments. This is counter-balanced by the fact that the assignments are often easier to understand as you have the contacts and experience from your day job to help you.