Thomas Moffat, Civil Engineering Technician

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What I do

My team looks after the roads, bridges and motorways across the South West of England. I help check the condition of roads, design improvements and look for ways to make any dangerous spots safer. The work I do helps everyone who uses the roads, from families on days out to people driving to school or work.

How I became a technician

At school, I chose GCSEs in geography, art, design and technology and Spanish. I didn’t know what job I wanted back then, but I liked creative subjects and making things.

After school, I went to college and did a BTEC in IT. The course covered lots of different topics, from coding to hardware to graphic design, but I especially enjoyed 3D modelling and animation.

How I became a technician

After college, I worked in IT jobs for a while and spent a couple of years working at Wessex Water. I was an IT technician there, helping upgrade pumping stations with new equipment.

I realised that I didn’t enjoy sitting at a desk all day and I was more interested in the hands-on work the engineers were doing out on site. That made me start thinking about a different kind of job. That’s when I decided to switch careers and apply for apprenticeships.

How I became a technician

I applied for loads of apprenticeships and finally landed a Civil Engineering Technician apprenticeship with National Highways. I didn’t even know that jobs like this existed when I was at school, but I’m really glad I made the switch.

This role has the perfect mix of hands-on practical work and creativity and design. Plus, I’m learning whilst I work and I get to try out working in lots of different teams. I’ve finally found a job that matches the things I enjoy.

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A typical day in my working life

I usually work from 8am to 4pm. Mondays start with a team meeting where we chat about what’s happened the week before and what’s coming up.

The rest of the week depends on what team I’m in at the time. I rotate between six teams, spending six months in each one. So far, I’ve been working in the pavements, drainage and road safety teams, and next I’ll work in the environmental, geotech and structure teams.

A typical day in my working life

Right now, I’m working in the road safety team. I spend a lot of time on CAD (Computer Aided Design) software looking at data and maps of the road network.

I look at where collisions have taken place over the last ten years and try to spot patterns to figure out where the risky areas are. Then I’ll come up with ideas to make those spots safer, like changing the road layout, or adding some traffic slowing measures.

A typical day in my working life

Some days I get to go on site visits, which means I get to see the real-world impact of our work.

My role covers the whole of the South West of England, so I could be going anywhere from Gloucester to Penzance.

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Workpeople wearing hi-vis outfits and hardhats talking during a road retarmacking at night.

What I love about my job

The best part of my job is seeing something I designed actually being built. When I was in the pavements team, I worked on a scheme to replace a motorway slip road that had low skid resistance. I looked at all the data, and using CAD software I designed the new road surface using high-friction concrete. I also updated the road markings, planned where the reflective studs would go and wrote detailed instructions that explained everything to the people building it. A few months later, I went out to the site and saw it all taking shape – and now I drive on that bit of road!

I also love the variety. One day I might be working on a design in the office and the next I could be out on site. Every team does things slightly differently, so I’m always learning something new and building up the skills I’ll use again and again.

The skills I use most

I use a mix of creative, technical and practical skills every day. Problem-solving and time management are really important, especially when we’re working to deadlines. I need maths for doing calculations and English for writing reports and making sure the information is clear.

I need good computer skills too, I use specialist software for design work and to study data, and I use tools like Excel and Word to share and present what I’ve found.

The best part of my job is seeing something I designed actually being built.

I’m always learning something new and building up the skills I’ll use again and again.

You don’t have to have it all figured out, just follow what interests you and you’ll find the right path in your own time.

A little more about my everyday role

The best bits about working in a team

Every team is a bit different. Some are quite small, like the drainage team, and others are much bigger like the road safety team. There are people who are just starting out like me and others with loads of experience, which is great because there’s always someone to ask for advice and learn from. We help each other out and share ideas, especially in team meetings. That mix of experience really makes a difference and helps everyone grow.

My favourite piece of equipment

I really enjoy using a piece of software called AutoCAD. I use it to design things, like mapping out roads and planning new layouts, as well as looking at accident data. We have a full map of the South West of England, so we can zoom in on a site and start designing changes straight away. It’s really clever and helps make our roads safer.

What I like to do in my spare time

I enjoy playing football and I’m hoping to join a Sunday league team again. I also love going out for walks in the countryside. I’ve got a trip to the Lake District coming up, which I’m really looking forward to, I’ve never been before.

When I was younger, I spent a lot of time building Lego, especially Star Wars sets, and I still enjoy anything creative like that.

My school days

At school, I was into creative subjects like art, geography and design and technology. I didn’t know it at the time, but those subjects ended up being a great fit for the work I do now. I liked making things and using my hands, and now that’s exactly what I get to do – designing and helping build projects that improve people’s lives.

A surprising fact about my job

Before I started this job, I didn’t realise how much goes into keeping the roads safe. When you’re driving, it just feels like the roads are always there, but people like me are constantly checking them, spotting problems and coming up with solutions.

We’re even checking the small things like road markings or the central reservations along dual carriageways and motorways. All these things are reviewed to make sure they’re not dangerous. It’s all about reducing risk and keeping people safe.

The next steps in my career journey

I’m about to do my final assessment for my Level 4 apprenticeship. After that, I’d like to move on to a Level 6 apprenticeship, which is equivalent to a university degree. National Highways supports this, so I can keep learning while I work.

The advice I’d give to someone younger

Think about what you enjoy and look for a job that includes those things. Think about the subjects you liked at school or the hobbies you had. I liked art and design, and now I get to use those skills in real-life projects. I didn’t know this career even existed when I was younger, but I’m really glad I found it. You don’t have to have it all figured out, just follow what interests you and you’ll find the right path in your own time.