The project manager at Legendre UK explains why he chose construction and what it’s like working on UK sites as a Polish construction worker.
Why did you choose construction? What else might you have done for a career?
Given that both my father and grandfather worked in construction, it’s no surprise that I decided to choose a career in the industry myself! If I were to work in a different sector, I think that I would enjoy sales or the logistics industries. I am a people person and I really enjoy working with different stakeholders and solving challenges together.
What do you love about the industry and what would you change if you could?
The most exciting thing about the construction industry is that it is constantly evolving. As client expectations and the world around us change, projects become increasingly complex and the technology that we use has to adapt.
“The industry has been making great progress towards diversity and as a Polish man it’s brilliant to see.”
Bartlomiej Ciurla MCIOB
In this industry we always need to find new, innovative ways to deliver our projects. Legendre UK’s Shorts Gardens project in Covent Garden, central London, is a perfect example of this. It is an incredibly complex site, surrounded by multiple party walls, narrow streets, and with an Elizabeth Line tunnel running right underneath it! We had to think creatively and come up with new solutions to respond to those challenges.
The industry has been making great progress towards diversity and as a Polish man it’s brilliant to see. I’m grateful I work for a company with employees from all over the world, and that wants to ensure careers are accessible to all. Collectively, we need to continue pushing for an industry that is a more representative of our society.
What are your career ambitions?
I am passionate about project management and I really enjoy working collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered successfully. Eventually, I’d like to move to a project director role.
What do you do in your spare time?
I can’t keep still! I love sports, whether it’s going to the gym, playing golf or tennis, swimming – and that’s what I spent a lot of my spare time doing. My partner and I also love travelling, and we particularly love sampling local cuisine. It’s a great way of discovering a new culture.