Jack Rolton – Rolton Group
Jack completed the Engineering Design & Draughting Apprenticeship with T3 Training & Development passing his End Point Assessment earlier this year.
Jack’s journey is inspirational and we hope it encourages more young people to get involved in construction. Jack explains for us what it’s like to be a technician in the construction industry.
Meet Jack! Jack is an Assistant Technician at the Rolton Group who supports our engineers in drafting 2D and 3D models for projects. Although in the past Jack has worked across the service lines, he now solely supports the mechanical and electrical (MEP) team.
What does your typical day consist of?
“No day is ever really the same for me. In a typical day I would check my emails to see which projects require my support. If an engineer has sent me across a drawing to transpose, I would then give them a call to clarify the details; especially for complex projects or where the service lines need to be coordinated. Doing this enables me to accurately replicate the designs and gives me the opportunity to ask any questions that I may have.
“Once I have spoken with the engineer, I would then open up the relevant software, either Revit or AutoCAD depending on the project, and input the superstructure of the building into a blank drawing. I then begin transposing the design from the engineer’s mark up onto the 2D or 3D model. The design elements include things like lighting, hot and cold-water pipes, containments, HVAC units, LV distributions etc.
“Transposing the designs can take anywhere from a day to a week, or for large schemes that I am working on that are continuously developing I would work on and off on that scheme over a few months while working on other projects in between.”
What do you enjoy most about your role?
“I love that my job requires me to interact with my colleagues on a regular basis, discussing new projects and tricky design elements. I also enjoy the fact that my work has always been quite diverse and varied, as I have been lucky enough to work within the various different service lines at Rolton Group and liaise with the different service line leaders and teams.
“The projects that I work on often add real value to the communities that they serve, such as schools, care homes and the Power by Britishvolt Gigaplant. Working on schemes that have such a positive impact both socially and environmentally gives me a huge sense of fulfilment and makes the long days worth it.”
What is the most challenging aspect of your role?
“The hardest part is ensuring that the engineer’s designs are properly replicated onto the 2D or 3D models. I always want to make sure that I am delivering high quality work to our clients. If designs are incorrect then it wastes time for both ourselves and the client and can tarnish the relationship that we have built, so I can definitely feel the pressure at times!
“When I first started it took me a while to learn and understand the terminology as well. I would definitely advise self-teaching out of hours to make your job easier.”
What advice would you give anyone looking to become a technician/get into the construction industry?
“It is definitely a high-pressured environment, but one that is also extremely fulfilling. I often have to work to tight deadlines and that can mean staying late at times, so having passion for what you do is fundamental.
“My biggest piece of advice would be to be a sponge. Absorb as much information as you can and work as hard as you can – it will make your job a lot easier and quicker in the long run.”