Industry Focus – with Daniel Fordham

Focus on…career steps with Structural Engineer and Managing Director Daniel Fordham CEng MIStructE FCABE

Q. What is your current role and how long have you been in the position?

A. I am currently managing director of Fordham Consulting Ltd, a small structural engineering consultancy, which I started in 2004. Initially, I ran this as a sole practitioner from home; after around 9 years, I began to expand and opened an office with a view to growing the business into an entity in its own right. I had to navigate the financial crash in 2008 and following 2020, I decided to scale back and now run a much smaller business with my wife. 

I currently sit on CABE’s Membership and Professional Standards Committee (MPSC) and on the CABE Eastern Region Committee, as well as chairing the Small Practitioners Panel for the Institution of Structural Engineers. I’ve found volunteering for professional bodies extremely rewarding; it gives me the chance to meet lots of great people with a wealth of differing knowledge and experiences, whilst allowing me to contribute to the industry. I started with sitting on CABE Membership interview panels, which was a fantastic way to be involved with the Association.

Q. What route did you take to your current role?

A. I took what would be generally considered as a traditional route into structural engineering. Following my A-levels, I completed a degree in civil engineering and then took a graduate role in a consultancy company, where I followed a structured training scheme towards Chartership. Whilst the company was a medium-sized practice, each office was quite small, giving me the chance to get involved in many different aspects. Working across East Anglia in a variety of offices allowed me to gain knowledge of many different project types.

Q. Was this role a career aim for you from the outset?

A. I always knew I would be involved in engineering of some sort − my father was a civil engineer and as such I had some dealings with the construction industry. I knew that engineering within the built environment could be a great career with wide-ranging possibilities, not limited to a certain size of company, scale of project or even geographically. An engineering qualification is generally recognised all round the world. I never expected to run my own business, however, and it was a leap into the unknown! At that stage of my career, I was working with other professionals who ran small practices, and they were able to give me advice on how to get started. 

Q. Did/do you have a mentor?

A. I was fortunate to work for my father following graduation, although, in practice I reported to two other Directors. I considered both as amazing trainers in my early years; each had a very different knowledge base and taught me both technical detail and practicality of design. Once I started my own practice, my father was my mentor and was always available to give advice; at that stage, this was mainly relating to running the business rather than technical engineering issues. I have been extremely fortunate in this respect – my father taught me how to stand back from a problem and view it from a distance, review all the options and remove emotion from the equation. It’s very easy to allow problems to overwhelm you, and taking out the emotion and breaking the problem down into something more manageable is not easy and something we all need to learn.

Having a mentor at any stage of your career is extremely important, we never stop learning and having good guidance brings great benefits. It is difficult to find a suitable mentor, however, I found attending conferences, CPD and other in-person events very good for mixing with like-minded people. 

I would always recommend new jobseekers consider small practices just as much as larger ones. At the start of a career, small practices can provide well-rounded insight into the industry, allowing you to meet many different design professionals, as well as clients and builders. The work tends to be varied and means you need to be flexible and able to review many different options. 

Q. Are there any other positions in the built environment sector that appeal to you?

A. I have always been interested in the construction of properties and renovation works. I would hope to have the opportunity to fully renovate a property of my own someday.

Further guidance:

• According to The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE): “Structural engineers…design the strength and stability of our buildings and bridges. They work as part of a team alongside architects, builders and other engineers, making sure the building works well in practice…”
• Daniel’s father was a civil engineer and inspired him to go into the sector. Whilst Daniel’s role focuses on load-bearing structures and ensuring they can withstand the forces put upon them, civil engineering is more broad and incorporates a wider range of society’s infrastructure, for example airports and other transportation systems. If you are interested in engineering roles but not sure where to start, try visiting the Engineering Council’s website: engc.org.uk; the Council is the regulatory body for the UK engineering profession and can offer advice to school leavers, students, apprentices and graduates, as well as those seeking further career development.
• Daniel mentions that he started his voluntary work with CABE by sitting on Membership interview panels. Contributing in such a way can be very rewarding for those who have progressed to Chartered status and who might be looking for new ways to give back to the industry. The Association is always looking for more Chartered members who are willing to become professional interview panel members and add this experience to their portfolio – to find out more, email peerreview@cbuilde.com