Steve Poulson became a member of the team all the way back in 2005, when the number of projects Howard Civil Engineering had in its portfolio had only just reached double digits.
Now, 18 years later, we sat down with Steve to discuss why he has stayed at Howard Civil Engineering for so long, his favourite part of being a Project Manager, and his advice for people hoping to get ahead in the construction industry.
Why did you decide to join Howard Civil Engineering?
I know Mick (Michael Howard, Founder and Managing Director) from being an engineer on the last firm that me and James (Page, Contracts Manager) worked for. We stayed with that firm, and Mick decided to set up a business on his own. A couple of years down the line, the company that James and myself had stayed working for went bust, so Mick rung us up straight away and asked if I fancied coming with him. There were six of us in total who went to work for Howard Civil Engineering from the firm that we all originally worked for.
What interested you in construction?
I think when I was 17, I started with a local construction firm doing external work – paving, kerbing, buts of drainage and manholes. The first job I was on was for Laing O’Rourke and it was at Sheffield Northern General Hospital. I’ll never forget it. I must have swept that new building from top to bottom.
Because I was working with the local men, who were my friends’ fathers, back in the day they taught you. Everybody had time to show you how to do a trade, so for groundworks, they taught me everything that’s involved with it – paving, kerbing, flagging. I loved it. Loved every bit of it.
How did you progress from foreman to project manager?
I was promoted to Project Manager around three or four years ago. Before I joined Howard Civil Engineering I’d always been a working foreman or site manager, and I continued as a working foreman once Mick took me on. Early on, the Contracts Manager at the time left, and Mick asked me to be a Contracts Manager. I was Contracts Manager for about four years or so until the banks went bust in about 2008, then we ended up scaling down to about three projects so there wasn’t enough work for a contracts manager. I went back on the tools, and I enjoyed it, but when things picked up again Mick asked me if I wanted to start running jobs again.
It was the right thing for me – as you get older you start aching, and even going out and trying to do bits and bats with the lads takes its toll if you don’t keep yourself in shape, which unfortunately I haven’t!
What’s your favourite thing about being a Project Manager at Howard Civil Engineering?
When you get a team of lads and everything clicks and you’re able to have good craic, it becomes enjoyable for everybody. That’s probably the best part about it. It’s more rewarding.
Why have you stayed at Howard Civil Engineering for 18 years?
I’ve always been loyal. I know what I’ve got, and I know it could be different elsewhere. If the firm that I worked at with Mick when he was an engineer hadn’t gone bust, I’d probably still be there now. I’ve known Mick since he was a young engineer and I’ve always got on with him.
What advice would you give to someone entering the construction industry?
Try and surround yourself with good people who are willing to teach you. If you’re working with somebody who’s only in it for the money, not the love of the trade, and who couldn’t care less what they’re doing, move on until you find someone who is willing to teach you and who takes pride in their work. It’ll put you in good stead for the future.
Howard Civil Engineering is thrilled to have topped out our three-storey reinforced concrete frame at Scarborough Hospital earlier this month.
Our works form part of a £47m contract to improve Scarborough Hospital building which is being undertaken by Integrated Health projects (IHP), a joint venture between Sir Robert McAlpine and VINCI Construction.
This extension which will combine and expand the existing Accident and Emergency department and acute medical unit, and improve site-wide infrastructure such as the electrical systems, ventilation, and drainage.
In addition to a three-storey reinforced concrete frame complete with two lift and stair cores, Howard Civil Engineering has also delivered the enabling works, drainage works including 1600mm of drainage up to 5m deep and two large geo-cellular attenuation tanks, and installed 1000m of service ducting.
Gary Connor, Senior Construction Manager at VINCI Construction, said: “While Howard [Civil Engineering] has been on site, the team has been extremely proactive, and the site manager (Patrick Furlong) has been excellent. With this in mind, I would definitely use Howard Civil Engineering on other projects.”
Read more about our work on this project here.
Sustainability manager Sophie Henderson has been a member of the Howard Civil Engineering team for eight years, so she’s no stranger to the stigma which surrounds mental health in the construction industry.
We sat down with Sophie to discuss her own experiences of poor mental wellbeing, how motherhood has affected her, and why it’s so crucial to keep the topic of mental health going on sites.
Why did you become a Mental Health First Aider?
I have been in the construction industry pretty much since I left school and having worked for a while on-site, I’ve seen first-hand the primarily negative attitudes that can unfortunately prevail around discussions of mental wellbeing.
I also have a relative who has suffered with poor mental health, and I’ve seen the knock-on effect it has for their family members. It can be quite scary, saddening, and hard to handle – especially when you can see a change in someone but you’re not sure why. Once you know a little bit more about it, it becomes more apparent. I just thought that if a Mental Health First Aid course would make me more equipped and have more knowledge around it, I can help more people.
Construction is predominantly male, and it can be quite laddish with a ‘just get on with it’ attitude. I think having someone to speak to or someone that you can confide in in the workplace makes it a bit better; you feel more included.
As a woman, I also think I’m in a unique position to help my male colleagues who may be struggling with poor mental health and feel they may be judged by discussing these concerns with their male peers. Even if talking to a female MHFA is just the first hurdle, men might then feel more comfortable opening up to other men.
How do you recognise the signs of poor mental wellbeing?
In my experience, my relative became quite withdrawn from everything, not wanting to engage in conversation and wanting to be left on their own. It was hard to speak to them. It became quite scary and progressed into hallucinations, which is when I realised it was beyond my help.
At the time I didn’t know where to point them, so I’m glad my MHFA qualification has given me the knowledge of professional places I can point people to if they need help, whether this is speaking directly with their GP, helpful websites such as Lighthouse, and even text messaging services people can use if they don’t feel up to having a verbal conversation.
Have you had your own struggles with poor mental health?
After I had George, my son, I wasn’t really myself for a while. I was kept in hospital for my own health after quite a traumatic birth, and it was actually really hard. People would say, ‘At least the baby is okay – that’s the most important thing.’ It kind of pushed aside how I was feeling and made me feel a bit worse because I thought, ‘Of course I’m glad the baby is okay but in myself, I am not okay.’ I’m glad I was able to open up to my partner and my friends – they were all really supportive.
I always tried to be kind to everyone before I faced my own struggles, but I’ve become an even stronger believer in kindness ever since. You never know what’s happening to at home or if someone’s had a bad morning or a bad night. I think everyone should just try and be a bit more understanding towards one another.
How do you manage your own mental wellbeing?
Alone time helps me relax. I’ll usually just go for a walk and recently I’ve spent a lot of time with my baby, but even then, sometimes you just need a little bit of a break.
You may feel a little bit bad or selfish just doing something purely for yourself, whether it’s listening to a little bit of music, talking to friends or going out for food, but at the end of it you’ll be better equipped to deal with the pressures you’re facing.
I’m also back at the gym now so that makes me feel amazing!
Why is it important for people in construction to look after their mental wellbeing?
The construction industry has the highest rate of suicide in comparison to all others, so it’s doubly important for people to be aware of the signs of poor mental health and engage in positive discussions surrounding it. It’s crucial that everyone knows where they can find help if they need to – there are people you can talk to.
Having been in the construction industry for 37 years, Brian Barton certainly knows a thing or two about how to deliver a project successfully. That’s why, when Brian joined Howard Civil Engineering in 2020, we knew he would be the perfect person to take on the role of Framework Manager and ensure our framework clients are continually satisfied with our performance.
We sat down with Brian to discuss his extensive experience and discern why he thinks Howard Civil Engineering is uniquely positioned to deliver a quality product on our frameworks.
How did you get your start in construction?
I entered the industry straight after completing my A-Levels, so in total I’ve been in construction for 37 years! My older brother was a civil engineer travelling all over the world, and I decided to follow in his footsteps.
I progressed from setting out to completing my HND and becoming a qualified engineer to spending time as a site manager and even managing projects for a while, working on sites all over the country.
I ended up in bid writing and pre-construction by accident, really. I was headhunted while I was working as a Project Manager, and I discovered I had a natural talent for it.
How does this experience make you the ideal person to be a Framework Manager?
Having worked a long time in civil engineering, I’ve seen the good and the bad side of the industry. I’ve worked on everything from £200,000 jobs to £54m projects in a range of disciplines from highways and heavy civils right through to structures and renewables. I know what good practice looks like, and I know how to avoid careless mistakes.
I’ve also worked several projects on the client-side, so I know the high standards that these frameworks have and can ensure Howard Civil Engineering meets the robust criterion where possible. Consideration and respect go a long way, so I always keep the framework in the loop with what we’re doing and where.
Most importantly, I’m an experienced planner. Having done my own programming and planning on most projects, I’ve taken these skills into my role as Framework Manager so I have an acute ability to know how best we can support any future projects in terms of workload and machinery.
Having worked at several larger companies before, how does Howard Civil Engineering compare when it comes to framework delivery?
Crucially, we have the ability to be more flexible and dynamic when responding to project changes. I think we are a unique offering for frameworks because we’re large enough to successfully deliver multi-million-pound projects as a primary contractor, but we’re also carry our own labour and have the support of Howard Plant Hire for our plant requirements. This means we typically self-deliver the majority of our wors, and it’s this element of reactivity that helps us to mobilise quickly when necessary.
I also think Howard Civil Engineering is more genuine. When it comes to the social value criteria, we don’t have a massive staff we can lean on to make up the hours like larger companies, but certainly do a lot more than companies of a similar size.
It’s very easy for bigger companies to demonstrate that they’re doing a lot of social value for very little cost, whereas for us it’s real cost but we do it’s because Mick [Howard, Managing Director] actually believes in it, not because we have to. That’s a nice position for me to be in.
How has the transition been moving from a £1.1b turnover company to a £40m turnover company?
I find smaller companies such as Howard Civil Engineering are more aligned with my personal values. I like that it’s not as process-driven [as larger companies], you’re recognised for your abilities and what you have achieved, and you’re given more independence. The people above me are as good as I could wish for, and Pete [Howard, Pre-Construction Director] may be young but he certainly knows what he’s doing.
Primarily, I think we’re also given more accountability. This is ultimately what makes Howard Civil Engineering such an exciting prospect when it comes to mini competitions in frameworks. In an SME such as this, every person is so much more intrinsic to the day-to-day running of the company – you’re not just another cog in the machine. It’s this that drives me to ensure I represent Howard Civil Engineering to the highest standards as Framework Manager.
Howard Civil Engineering is pleased to have achieved an ‘Excellent’ score of 43/45 on our first ever Considerate Constructors Scheme audit as a registered organisation!
The audit assessed how Howard Civil Engineering respects its community, cares for the environment and values its workforce, and we are thrilled that our hard work and commitment to social value has been recognised by the Considerate Constructors Scheme.
Sustainability manager Sophie Henderson (pictured) commented on how we achieved this fantastic score, highlighting that “[Howard Civil Engineering] genuinely enjoys delivering social value to our local community” and “we provide not only financial donations but offer support in a variety of ways such as work placements, volunteering, and offering career advice to underrepresented demographics in the construction industry.”
“One of our primary aims as a sustainable company is to keep our emissions as low as possible,” she continued. “We continually invest in new technologies and monitoring systems, and our head office in Leeds is not only gas-free but is also now powered by solar panels.”
Speaking on how Howard Civil Engineering strives to be an employer of choice in the local community, Sophie emphasised our focus on broadening opportunities for school leavers and graduates, and enhancing our wellbeing support for members of our team.
“We are in a fortunate position to go into schools and careers fairs, promote construction, and inspire a new generation of people into the industry,” she said. “As a long-standing member of The 5% Club we have demonstrated our commitment to nurturing young talent, but our support stretches across the entirety of our team. We are happy to provide our team with access to continued professional development, and our wellbeing support includes four qualified Mental Health First Aiders who can signpost colleagues to professional support.
“I am thrilled that Howard Civil Engineering’s dedication to enhancing communities, protecting our environment and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our staff has been rewarded so highly by an external auditor,” she continued. “In future, we will aim to continue and improve upon our high scores as a company to ensure our company values are delivered across all sectors.”
Surprise! We’ve turned the 12 Days of Howard Civil Engineering into a baker’s dozen, because we just couldn’t resist spreading the Christmas joy to one more charity.
Howard Civil Engineering has supported Pulse 1’s Cash for Kids Mission Christmas appeal for the past two years, and we were pleased to continue our support in 2022.
Over the past few months, Cash for Kids has been collecting donations to give to 16,000 children in West Yorkshire who would otherwise wake up on Christmas morning without a single present to unwrap. Howard Civil Engineering has gifted £500 worth of toys, clothes, gift sets and tech gadgets, and members of our head office team also contributed to the final donation.
As the cost of living crisis affects more people, Cash for Kids told us that applications for recipients had to close earlier than in previous years due to overwhelming demand while the quantity of presents donated has decreased.
Hannah Clark, charity fundraising executive at Cash for Kids, gave her thanks: “We are very grateful for the continued support from Howard Civil Engineering during Mission Christmas, we appreciate all the help now more than ever with the cost of living crisis,” she said. “You have helped us with our mission to ensure no local child wakes up without a gift on Christmas Day, especially in such difficult times. Thank you so much.”
Howard Civil Engineering is proud to continue our support of the Mission Christmas appeal, which is needed now more than ever, and we sincerely hope that our donation helps to brighten the Christmas of every child who receives a gift from Cash for Kids.
Throughout December, Howard Civil Engineering is spreading festive cheer by donating £5,000 to a variety of charities and community groups across Yorkshire! We have chosen 13 different causes to help this festive period and we have documented these throughout the month using the hashtag #12DaysOfHCE.
TRUST US TO DELIVER YOUR PROJECT ON TIME AND ON BUDGET