“Every time you open your eyes you can see civil engineering.”

It seems like it doesn’t even exist, but it’s always there. That, or perhaps his love of maths and science, was what led Pablo Salguero to study civil engineering. This Galician currently lives in London and works at one of the busiest airports in the world, Heathrow Airport. He enjoys a challenge, as well as coming up with creative solutions for the problems he faces every day. You can get to know him a little better through this interview.

Read the keys to learn what qualities are needed to work as a civil engineer

• What’s your name? (first and last name) Do you have any particular nickname at the office?

Pablo Salguero.

• Where are you from?

I am from Galicia, which is a region located in the North of Spain known for its delicious food and its “British” weather.

• How old are you? 

28

• What area/department of the company do you work in?

I am working in production, actively involved in the construction and management of activities on site.

• How long have you been in your field? How long have you been with Ferrovial?

Almost three years now. Time really does flies. I still remember the day I got selected for the job working for Ferrovial in the busiest airport in Europe. What a challenge!

• Why did you decide to pursue your career?

Every time you open your eyes you can see civil engineering. From the most jaw-dropping structures to roads, bridges, railways, waste networks, and flood defenses. They shape the world we live in, and I wanted to be part of it.

• What was your career plan to get to your job/role? What did you study?

I always preferred thinking than memorising information and I enjoyed Maths and Science at school. I knew an engineering degree could give me the right tools to develop my analytical and problem-solving skills further. However, it was only at the last minute that I chose civil engineering over aerospace engineering. Funnily enough, my first professional challenge was to work as a civil engineer in an airport. There are some essential attributes like creativity, versatility, and the ability to manage and see the bigger picture that can eventually make civil engineers future leaders in the business.

• Tell us what your day-to-day work is like.

There is no such thing as a typical day, and probably, that is what makes my job challenging every day.  As I say to my colleagues, why would we be here if there were no problems? Sometimes it is just about allocating the right resources and procuring the right materials to ensure works can be delivered safely with high standards and in the most efficient way. Other times it is more about reviewing and delving into the drawings to come up with new ideas in order to achieve and improve performance on site

• What do you like most about your profession?

It is a very rewarding job. It is true that you need to work hard, and responsibility is high, but when you are actually able to see with your own eyes what you have just built, it feels great.

• What do you like most about working at Ferrovial?

Being part of one of the biggest infrastructures companies in the world has many advantages. You are involved in the most challenging and life-changing projects and you are working with people to help solve problems that affect society at large. Besides, working in Ferrovial is allowing me to build life-long relationships with a professionally and culturally diverse group of people. I believe this is making a good contribution to the business in general and to the people.

• What experience/project are you proudest of?

During my short but intense career I am lucky to have been involved in different projects and to even have worked in different countries. Last year I was asked to go for three months to work on a project in Australia, we were working hard to hit the handover date and the pressure was on us, but you grow a lot professionally and personally with those types of projects.

• Are you planning to study/review anything in the future?

I consider myself to be very ambitious, and I truly believe further education could give me top-tier finance, strategy and management foundations that will fill my business knowledge gaps. Hopefully, the experience will also help me to boost and hone my leadership skills. The sky is the limit!

• Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do during your free time?

I like sports, any type of sport, watching or playing it (I am still trying to understand cricket though). I used to play paddle a lot when I was in Spain. Unfortunately, there are very few courts here in London, is anyone willing to invest some money?

• What do you do after work?

Some plans can be made by a single person but making those plans a reality essentially requires teamwork. And I think real teamwork starts when you play football with your work colleagues, when you go out to have some beers with them, or when you invite them home for dinner. And we do all of that!