Andrew Shimmin

Describe what the Mott Mac Life means to you in three words

Collaboration, professional, excellence

What do you enjoy about working here?

The variety of work and working with great colleagues.

Even within my area of work, I can be doing quite different things from one month to another, such as studies, concept design, detailed design, modelling and site work. I have been able to work in a variety of locations during my career, including Africa, the Middle East, and in recent years supporting a long-running project in Bangladesh.

I also value the way colleagues will always take time to provide one another with their expertise and assistance. It feels very much like a team effort, and I have always worked with people here who are genuinely doing their best to deliver top class engineering for our clients and for wider society.

Tell us about your specialism and why you chose it

I work in civil engineering for the water and wastewater sector, especially working on pipelines and in hydrodynamics (hydraulics). Our projects move water from where it is to where it needs to be – providing clean water to a city, stormwater away from flood risk, or sewage to where it can be treated.

I enjoy applying fluid mechanics, and practical problem solving. Reliable, sustainable clean water and sanitation is vital for human health and flourishing.

How have you been supported during your career development?

I have been very well supported, with frequent reviews of my performance, and always a genuine interest in what I wanted to do next. When I wanted overseas experience, the relevant managers made sure I got those opportunities. Now I have school age children and want to limit my time away, this has been accommodated happily. My managers have also been happy to develop different sides of my professional role – perhaps in a technical area, or managing people or projects.

What have you learnt while working at Mott MacDonald?

Nearly everything! I joined as a fresh graduate, so almost my whole professional experience has been with Mott MacDonald. As well as developing my technical skills in engineering design, I’ve gained experience in the water sector, in hydraulics and pipelines in particular.

I have also learnt to manage projects and teams, and to mentor and develop people. I have grown personally through working with diverse teams of people. One thing I particularly love about working at Mott MacDonald is how experienced people are always willing to give their time to share their expertise and knowledge.

How do you demonstrate Technical Excellence in your work?

I enjoy expanding my technical horizons by learning new things. Here we have a wide range of communities of practice which share knowledge internally. I also enjoy reading papers and journals to discover the latest developments and research.

I am keen to share best practice, lessons learnt and technical skills and knowledge with my colleagues and beyond. I do this by writing best practice guidance, giving presentations and lunchtime talks, and being part of focus groups.