Interview: Graduate Structural Engineer – Min Khant

Why you into engineering

I was 17 years old when I left Myanmar to pursue A levels in the UK. I noticed huge differences between infrastructures in the UK and my home country.  This led me to develop a strong interest in learning techniques to build infrastructures that meet global standards. Furthermore, solving problems in science-based subjects and mathematics and getting the right answers has always brought me a deep sense of achievement. Integrating my joy in solving maths and science-based problems with my interest in developing high quality buildings, I believed that this was a perfect mix to deliver my skills and showcase my achievements in real life projects. 

Parts you most enjoy about the job

Getting to work on time every morning with a mindset to deliver every project to the best of my abilities is what I enjoy about the job. Going to different sites across the UK, mostly in London, where it is the world’s global city has given me the opportunity to be exposed to a diverse range of people and places. Talking to different people on sites from technicians, scaffolders, supervisors to project managers has given me an insight into how various range of skills are needed to complete a project no matter how large or small the project is. During working at LSY, I took part in all aspects of the job including 2D drawing on Revit, going site inspections and completing technical calculations. This has helped me to gain a wide viewpoint on this job. 

Parts you most dislike about the job

Sometimes when solving technical problems, not every scenario which we have been provided with works. Therefore, the work cannot always be issued by one straightforward answer. As much as I am a person who avoids making phone calls, it is crucial in times like these to raise the problem to the client/supplier and use my intuition to provide an alternative solution to see if they are okay with this. This is what I dislike most about the job because having a scenario that does not have an answer can lead to multiple tasks pending in my list. 

Industry and university differences  

Working in structural engineering industry is different from studying at university. Like I mentioned earlier, scenarios and problems given in university have a definitive answer. However, in the industry, there is not always a definitive answer, and you cannot memorize the steps you have done in a previous project and apply in the next project. The difference is huge. In the industry, the job is not completed once you have gotten the answers from calculations, you will still need to provide the solution based on datasheets from approved and reliable construction products.  

What the industry has offered me which is a big advantage compared to university is going on site visits. This gave me an opportunity to witness scenarios that I learnt from university in real life. The technical terms used by people in the industry also varies quite a lot compared to what I have learnt in university. For example, working in LSY has taught me to follow their specific industry standard calculation template, report template and drawing templates which I found very different and more professional than from university.  

Thoughts on structural engineering & Feeling towards the industry now after starting working 

The industry has a lot to offer to you, not only for you to grow as an engineer but also as an individual. What shapes the future of this industry and keeps it at the highest reputation are not only structural engineers but also includes the collective efforts of experienced individuals ranging from operatives to principal contractors across different nationalities and disciplines. Furthermore, talking to each of them has given me an opportunity to get insights into the nature of this industry.  

The most challenging aspect of the job 

The most challenging aspect of the job is keeping up with the fast-paced environment of the industry in London when I started working in LSY. Developing an ability to issue projects on time to the client requires consistency, practise and communication. The deliverables also must be accurate and up to the industry’s quality therefore it requires genuine effort. Asking questions to my seniors no matter how simple or basic the question is has helped me overcome this aspect. I believe that these are the small steps that needs to be taken if you are planning to commit to this industry in the long run.