As an engineering design consultancy, our engineers are absolutely central to our success and we’ve previously introduced some of our team – Nick Lowe, Jeremy Barnes and Ioannis Iliadis.
But one of our strengths and a huge contributor to our ability to deliver successful projects is the diverse range of in-house capabilities we have, founded on our passion for developing the team through Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Today we’re introducing four members of our wider team, who work in the CAD & BIM team but are also responsible for document control, project management and our audit processes for vital industry standards.
These four members of the team have varied backgrounds and remits and are at different stages of their careers.
Patryk Cygan
The CAD & BIM technicians who work alongside the engineers play a key role in our work. The team support their engineer colleagues by completing the technical drawings or models which define the structures and other civil engineering elements we design. Trained as an engineer, Patryk joined WCS in 2022 as part of our CAD & BIM team.
“We’re certainly kept busy, but I very much enjoy the variety of challenges. The output required might be 2D drawings or 3D models, as the client or the project requires. Process is key, and every document has to be exactly right in terms of details such as revision codes. The software we use is dependent on client requirements and we all work across a number of different platforms,” Patryk shares.
“It’s a very collaborative environment here, which I benefit from. Senior members of the team David Crumley, CAD & BIM Manager, and Leigh Higgs, provide great mentoring and guidance. There’s a strong emphasis on CPD, with many different ways of learning, from formal presentations given by visiting speakers to lunch and learn events.”
Charlie Sidwell and Emile Ganev
WCS is passionate about offering opportunities, including providing in-work training and support, to allow employees to learn on the job. CAD & BIM team members Emile Ganev and Charlie Sidwell both joined WCS through this route.
“I think it’s great that WCS was open to the possibility of us joining the team and willing to invest the resources needed for upskilling. The more experienced technicians and other team members are very supportive, which is as important as the formal structures in place,” Charlie explains.
“On any project, I might be liaising with a colleague here in London, or in Northern Ireland. We also have team members who work remotely from outside the UK. It’s exciting to be part of a team that has real energy. I haven’t been here that long, but there has been a lot of growth in the company.”
Since joining WCS, Emile has developed additional expertise in document control. “I’ve benefitted greatly from the fact that WCS provides so many ways of developing skills as we work. I divide my time between CAD and document control,” comments Emile.
“Knowledge of the status codes used for each document is imperative, in order to correspond with the specific stage of the document control process. The documents are always organised within a Common Data Environment (CDE), a platform where everyone, internal and external, is accessing the same file. That means there is no risk of different people working on different revisions, for example. Typically, we’re invited to join a client’s existing CDE, ProjectWise is a solution we often use, but there are other options including Aconex and SharePoint.
“My colleagues who attend on-site need to complete safety training, and I’m always aware that document control is grounded in practical reality, making sure people and structures are safe. Our weekly meetings often feature safety moments, where one of the team shares a relevant insight.”
Safety is absolutely the priority for WCS, and Emile is by no means the first member of our team to discuss how important it is to us here. In this recent article our Technical Director Jeremy Barnes explains why exposure to rail projects can help shape a safety-focussed mindset.
WCS has many accreditations, because we understand consistent excellence can only be achieved and demonstrated from a base of formal, industry-standard rigour. We are ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 compliant, and are an audited member of the Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme, as well as CIRAS, Constructionline, Achilles Link-Up and Achilles UVDB. All of these are founded on correct document control.
Monzila Chowdhury
Having trained as an architect in Bangladesh, with experience in CAD, Monzila joined WCS initially in a part-time role while studying for her master’s at Queen’s University Belfast. WCS offers flexible roles, and we believe it is important to understand and, where possible, accommodate our team’s studying or caring commitments, which means we benefit from a diverse team with a range of experiences.
“I was struck by the diversity of backgrounds here. My architecture training gives me an awareness and viewpoint that is different from my colleagues. I think if each person brings something unique, the team is strengthened overall. Certainly, as a person from a different part of the world, I’ve always felt very welcomed here,” Monzila says.
“Despite my experience, there is always an opportunity to learn, such as new software packages. I work alongside our CAD & BIM lead, which is helpful. CPD here is overseen by our Engineering Manager, Natalja Petkune, and is always a priority.
“My master’s degree involved project management as well as technical design, so I was asked to support with our internal ISO audits. To maintain compliance, there must be formal audits involving review of documents and processes. It’s an ongoing task, with recommendations for continuous improvement, and follow-ups to see that recommendations have been implemented. Every week, I also check relevant documents to ensure they are updated and I also carry out toolbox talk every month to keep everyone in the team up to date about Health and Safety.”
A word from our Managing Director, Asa Whitfield
“I’m very proud of the diversity of our team here at WCS. I agree with Monzila’s view that this makes us stronger. If someone wants to work at WCS, and we feel they have exceptional talent, we’ll support them as needed, even if they are transitioning in career terms, or coming into a new field. We have written about the value of diversity before.
“The fast growth we’ve seen here is because we are able to offer clients exceptional service. The key is investing in our people, and then channelling their creativity through the correct formalised structures.”
If you think the WCS team might be the right partner for your next project, please get in touch on 020 3581 7847 or at info@wcs-consult.co.uk.
