Why did working at Method appeal to you?
What really stood out to me was Method’s focus on sustainability as a guiding principle for their work, which stood out over other companies I was researching at the time. Looking at previous Method projects on their website I liked the variety of different job types that they worked on, alongside a lot of flagship projects in my home town of Bristol.
What happened at your interview?
I was interviewed online by Matt & Matt from the Bristol team, and the interview lasted for around an hour. The process felt a lot more like a conversation than a normal interview, and began with a few questions about myself and my motivations for joining. I then delivered a short presentation on a technical subject of my choice, where I covered my ongoing (at the time) Masters project on astrophysics. I was then asked a couple of problem-solving type questions on thermodynamics and sustainability.
Main responsibilities / Typical day
I am always working on multiple projects at once, so each day can be quite different to. Some key activities for me might be drawing service layouts on architect plans (eg. ventilation/water/electrical routes), performing calculations relating to any of the services we work on, and attending meetings with consultants/engineers from other disciplines also working on the same job as part of the design team. Many meetings are in person on site, so I get some opportunities to travel in the local area and visit live construction sites.
Luke Talbot-Ponsonby
What do you enjoy about your job?
I like how varied the projects and tasks can be as this stops my time from getting too repetitive and means I can gain a very well-rounded view of building services. There is always more to learn, and you often find yourself working with exciting new technologies/concepts. The first time that a building I helped design finished being built and opened was incredibly satisfying. The flexible working offered by Method is a great benefit that allows you to work from home whenever needed and fit your hours around any other external commitments you might have. The office atmosphere is also very welcoming and easygoing.
Challenging aspects
A lot of projects require you to both present and respond to technical information and queries from people from a number of different backgrounds, which at first can be quite daunting. However, as you progress in the job you quickly build up a lot of technical knowledge, and learn to think on your feet to respond to unexpected questions. When working on lots of different projects at once it can sometimes to challenging to balance your time effectively, but you quickly learn the best way that works for you.
Skills/qualifications learnt at University that you use in your job?
The most relevant technical areas from my degree than come in handy are electronics and thermodynamics, along with general maths in most areas. The lab and research reports that I previously wrote gave me a natural baseline for writing the technical reports and specifications that I have to write now. Any form of people or communication skills that you might have picked up will certainly be useful.
Training you receive as part of your job
Most training is direct on the job, so whenever I encounter a new project or task I will be guided through the key steps and shown several relevant examples. There can be a lot of information to take on at one time, but I find that learning a process by putting it into practice means that it sticks with me more. There are also weekly training presentations that I can attend to get an introduction into specific types of systems or services.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
The next big step for me would be when I start managing projects of my own, which you would usually get the opportunity to after around 2/3 years with Method.
Your piece of advice to anyone thinking of going into building services
Coming from a physics rather than an engineering background, I was initially worried that I would be out of my depth coming into a job like this. However, you learn everything you need to while working and can very quickly be brought up to speed. Therefore, I would say that you do not specifically need a degree in a building services related subject to apply here.