Patrick Hickey

I embarked on my journey in this field through a non-conventional path. At the age of 17, after completing my GCSEs, I initiated my career by taking on a placement with a national contractor who was working in my hometown of Ellesmere Port, on a council leisure centre project. This role had me working as a Quantity Surveyor (QS) from which I never looked back. Subsequently, I pursued a Higher National Certificate in Construction Management (HNC) and further advanced my career by obtaining a QS degree from LJMU. My career changed course to a more project management focus when I took a role with a private developer. Since then, I have worked predominantly for consultants working within the project management & development management functions across a wide variety of sectors and client types.

The redevelopment and conversion of an existing 30 storey office block into luxury residential apartments stands out as one of my favourite projects to date. Located in Croydon, this programme was particularly fascinating due to its comprehensive scope, encompassing full refurbishment, demolition, and strip-out, resulting in the transformation of the space into 263 apartments, along with a hotel and several sections allocated for office and retail purposes. This project truly exemplified a remarkable mixed-use scheme and was awarded ‘Most innovative redevelopment of an existing building’ award following practical completion.

The construction sector has carried an unfavourable image in terms of job stability and avenues for growth, and personal development, historically. It’s crucial that we prioritise diversification within our workforce and actively promote the construction industry, shedding light on its numerous positive aspects.